MOSCOW, December 8. /TASS/. A flu-like syndrome, including elevated body temperature, has been observed after inoculation with the Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection in about 10% of volunteers. No serious adverse reactions after administering the preparation have been detected, Sergei Glagolev, aide to the Russian health minister, reported on Tuesday.
"A flu-like syndrome which occurs in approximately 10% of those inoculated [is manifested] by elevation of body temperature usually to no more than 38 degrees Celsius which is reduced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For instance, paracetamol is effective. No serious unexpected adverse reactions were detected during clinical trials," he said at the 13th Russian scientific and practical Medicine and Quality-2020 conference with international participation.
According to the official, "the vaccine has a very good safety profile," "there are instances of local reactions," which disappear in 1-3 days.
He also noted that about 24,000 volunteers have participated already in the Sputnik V post-registration trials. "The interim data <...> showed that the risk [of the coronavirus infection] by Day 42 decreases by over 92%," the official said.
"I strongly hope that very soon <...> the detailed data on clinical trials [of the vaccine] will be published in licensed research literature, including foreign scientific journals," he concluded.
On August 11, Russia became the first country worldwide to register the vaccine against the coronavirus which was named Sputnik V. The preparation was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry. Post-registration trials began in Moscow on September 7 while the first vaccine was administered to volunteers on September 9. In all, 40,000 people participate in the program, with 10,000 of them receiving a placebo instead of the vaccine.