Russia has developed a nasal spray version of its Sputnik V vaccine for use in children aged 8 and over

Russia has tested a nasal spray form of its COVID-19 vaccine that is suitable for children aged 8 to 12, and plans to launch the new product in September.the scientist who led the development of the Sputnik V vaccine said on Saturday.

Alexander Gintsburg, who heads the Gamaleya Institute, which developed Sputnik V, said that the children’s spray uses the same vaccine, “only instead of a needle, a nozzle is attached,” the TASS news agency reported.

Childhood vaccine is expected is ready for distribution on September 15thGintsburg said during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

The researchers tested the vaccine in children between the ages of eight and 12 and found no side effects in the test group.Not even an increase in body temperature, Gintsburg said, according to TASS. “We inoculate our little ones (patients) nasally, we just give the same vaccine as a nasal spray,” Gintsburg said, without giving more details about the study, such as the number of children who participated.

Vaccination of children

As the adult population begins to be immune, the interest of the authorities – and the laboratories – is turned towards the children. And while many insist that there are countries where elderly people or health workers still do not have vaccines, others say its application in minors could improve their mental health and facilitate a return. to normality, including the resumption of education and social interactions important for the development of the child.

This is because in many parts of the world, children and adolescents contribute to an increasing proportion of all cases. This change in age distribution is believed to be due to the emergence of highly transmissible variants, increased testing in school-aged children, low adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions, increased social interactions as restrictions are removed and increased immunity in older groups after vaccine launch.

Thus, immunizing children could help in the global context of the pandemic. However, if the immunization of children in high-income countries is to be prioritized over vulnerable adults in low- and middle-income countries, this is an issue that needs serious ethical and legal debate. the practice.

Awards

Russian President Vladimir Putin today awarded the 2020 State Science and Technology Prize to the creators of the Sputnik V vaccine on the occasion of Russia Day. “The power of Russian science was clearly revealed last year, when people around the world waited for scientists to save them from the coronavirus pandemic. And our researchers succeeded in creating the safe and effective Sputnik V vaccine in record time, ”he said at the award ceremony.

Poutine awarded the director of the Gamaleya Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Alexandr Guintsburg; the deputy scientific director of the center, Denís Logunóf, and the head of the Radiochemical Defense Research Center of the Russian Armed Forces, Sergei Borisevich.

This achievement, described by the president as a “triumph”, enabled Russia not only to guarantee Russian citizens access to vaccines, but also to help other countries. “And it is a responsibility of our country before the whole world as one of the main scientific powers,” he said, noting that this was made possible by “the unique knowledge gathered during the creation of ‘other vaccines’, such as the Russian drug against Ebola.

According to the Russian president, the developments of Russian scientists “pave the way for the creation of other long-awaited vaccines against many dangerous viral diseases”.

With information from Reuters and EFE

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