Russia’s Sputnik V Vaccine May Also Effectively Protect Animals from COVID-19

By Staff, Agencies

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine may also effectively protect animals from COVID-19, Alexander Gintsburg, the head of the Russian Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology Microbiology that developed the drug, told Sputnik.

“I do believe that Sputnik V will also effectively protect animals, but we should vaccinate people at first,” Gintsburg said.

He stressed that animals should be vaccinated not only for their protection, but also to stop animal-to-human transmission.

In late March, Russian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said that the Russian Carnivac-Cov vaccine for animals is already available for orders. Russia was the first country in the world to register a vaccine against COVID-19 for animals. Its mass production could be launched in April.

The clinical trials of Carnivac-Cov were launched last October and involved dogs, cats and polar foxes, among other animals. According to the latest results of the studies, all vaccinated animals developed antibodies to coronavirus in 100 percent of cases, with immunity lasting for at least six months.