The composition of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine will not be changed due to the Indian strain, it is impractical, it is necessary to keep high antibody titers, and if they decrease, to be revaccinated, said Alexander Gintsburg (Also known as Alexander Gunzburg), director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
“To create a new vaccine with our regulation is quite long. The scientific part will take 10 days, and the regulatory part will take three to four months. During this time, the virus mutates, and some more strain will come. Therefore, with that picture of the mutational activity of SARS-CoV-2, study the creation of vaccines for new strains is a thankless task,” Gunzburg told the Izvestia newspaper.
One of the world-known methods of combating the new strains is to change the composition of the vaccine, which is based on a mutant sample. This happens all the time with flu vaccines. Based on the data on the influenza virus strains circulating in a particular season, the composition of the vaccine offered to the population is determined and, if necessary, changed.
Alexander Ginsburg says that the correct strategy would be to vaccinate with Sputnik V, and over time, when the titers of protective antibodies decrease, revaccinate with Sputnik Light.
At the end of April, Gintsburg said that the Sputnik V vaccine would be effective against the Indian mutation of the coronavirus. In May, the Gamaleya Center received a sample of the Indian strain of coronavirus. Gunzburg said that the center would test the effectiveness of Sputnik V against this variant of the virus.
As per Gintsburg , high titers of antibodies should be kept with the help of the existing vaccine.