Russia said Tuesday its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was 95 percent effective and would be cheaper and easier to store than some alternatives, as the global race heats up to develop a jab. Pharma giants Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their virus vaccine is 95 percent effective, while US company Moderna said last week early results showed its candidate was 94.5 percent effective. Western experts have in the past expressed concern over Russia’s vaccine, fearing that its development could be rushed. Russia has applied to the World Health Organization for accelerated registration and pre-qualification of the Sputnik V vaccine. The head of the RDIF, Kirill Dmitriev, said Tuesday that European Union member Hungary would also manufacture the Sputnik V vaccine.

Source: The Nation November 24, 2020 16:41 UTC