MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Changes in the formulation of a vaccine against the coronavirus are possible if mutations of the infection become significant, Deputy Director for Research of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Alexander Gorelov said in an interview with the Russia-24 TV channel on Monday.

"The main thing is that the vaccine was developed. And a platform was created on the basis of which it is possible to change a vaccine component if one or another mutation acquires a special significance," he said.

The expert also added that mutations are natural processes that allow immunity to adapt to the fight against the virus. "A mutation does not significantly change the genome of a virus. No more than 1.5% of the viral genome is involved in variability," he noted.

On July 24, the Vector State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing obtained the Healthcare Ministry’s permit to conduct clinical trials of its vaccine on volunteers. They concluded on September 30. On October 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin reported that the vaccine developed by the Vector State Research Center had obtained the registration certificate. On November 16, the Healthcare Ministry issued a permit to conduct post-registration trials of the Center’s EpiVacCorona vaccine against the coronavirus on 150 volunteers over the age of 60 and on November 18 - a permit for trials on 3,000 volunteers.