The results of the survey published in world-leading medical journal The Lancet shows the Russian vaccine is 79% effective
A medical worker fills a syringe with a dose of Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus. © Sputnik / Maksim Bogodvid
Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 has shown the efficacy of 79% in HIV-positive patients, a study, published in prestigious medical journal The Lancet, has revealed.
More than 24,000 HIV-positive people, receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Russian capital, have taken part in the research by the Gamaleya Center, which developed the jab, and the Moscow City Center for AIDS Prevention and Control.
“Sputnik V’s efficacy was 79%” in people living with HIV (PLHIV), the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which bankrolled the development of the vaccine and now oversees its international distribution, said in a statement.
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According to the paper, the Russian jab also turned out to be more than 90% effective against hospitalization and 97% effective against development of moderate or severe coronavirus cases among the HIV-positive, it added.
Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) had sounded the alarm over the danger of Covid-19 to PLHIVs, including higher risk of harsh cases and an increased mortality rate.
More than 23% of such patients who ended up in hospital have died, according to the WHO.
The fresh study has made Sputnik V the world’s first jab against coronavirus with a proven efficacy for HIV-positive people, the RDIF pointed out, calling the Russian vaccine “the ultimate solution for vulnerable groups.”