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Coronavirus pandemic

Germany believes in effectiveness of Sputnik V, politician says

Chairman of the German-Russian Forum Matthias Platzeck presumes that fight against the pandemic requires enhanced cooperation of all states, especially with Russia

BERLIN, May 26. /TASS/. Moscow has extensive experience in manufacturing vaccines, so Germany believes in the effectiveness of Sputnik V, Chairman of the German-Russian Forum and former Minister-President of Brandenburg Matthias Platzeck has told TASS.

He recalled that Germany had opted for purchasing vaccines within the framework of a single European portfolio and needed to wait for approval by the EU regulator in order to use foreign medications. Nevertheless, in the spring, bilateral contacts at the level of central and regional authorities were underway on future purchases of Sputnik V and potential joint production in Germany. "It is certainly also a signal that there is a lot of confidence in the Russian vaccine. Russia has extensive experience in developing and manufacturing vaccines. In the German Democratic Republic, the Soviet polio vaccine saved the lives of many children in the 1960s, and many still remember that very well," he pointed out.

"Yet, I believe I am not the only one who is interested in the following question — could the process of testing and approving the vaccine, which has already been approved in almost 70 countries, pick up speed in Europe? I hope that, in the long run, we will learn our lessons for the future from the pandemic that affects all states simultaneously. That includes enhanced cooperation, especially with Russia," Platzeck stressed.

Germany has said on numerous occasions that it is ready in principle to use jabs developed outside the EU, in particular, Sputnik V. Both Chancellor Angela Merkel and Health Minister Jens Spahn laid out the key condition: the vaccine must be certified by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has so far been registered in countries with a total population of more than 3 billion people. Its efficacy was 97.6% based on the analysis of data on coronavirus infections among Russians inoculated with both doses of the shot from December 5, 2020, to March 31, 2021. On March 4, the EMA announced the start of sequential analysis of the vaccine. According to the regulator, registration can be completed by the end of May.

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