The updated Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, developed at the end of 2023 to combat the XBB strain, has proven to be effective against the FLiRT variant currently circulating worldwide. This was said by Alexander Ginzburg, director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
“Now I can say that the vaccine, updated six months ago in December 2023 for the XBB [strain], has not actually lost its effectiveness against the FLiRT variant that is currently circulating, which is infectious. That is, it can be used, not completely, but it can be used. It will protect well against FLiRT due to the fact that Sputnik V was originally made in such a way that it produces a very wide range of antibodies of different antigen specificity,” Ginzburg said.