Gunzburg ruled out the need to change the composition of Sputnik V due to FLiRT

There is no need to change the composition of the Sputnik V CORONAVIRUS vaccine due to the new FLiRT strain, the DIRECTOR of the National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after N.F. told RIA Novosti. Gamaleya Alexander Gintsburg.

“Based on the official data that we have today, there is no need to update the vaccine,” Gunzburg said.

However, he noted that it will be necessary to observe how the vaccine will work against the new variant of covid-19 .

The FLiRT coronavirus variants (the word comes from the names of mutations in the strains' genetic code) are distant relatives of the dominant JN.1 variant, all belonging to the Omicron family. Symptoms of illness caused by the FLiRT variant include fever,cough , congestion or runny nose, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell.

On May 22, Rospotrebnadzor reported that this strain was identified for the first time in RUSSIA, and 178 cases of infection were recorded. However, the department said that the new variants of coronavirus discovered do not pose a greater danger than other types.