Russia's second COVID-19 vaccine is 100 percent effective based on preliminary reports.

Russia reported that its second COVID-19 vaccine, EpiVacCorona, is 100 percent effective but the results have not been peer-reviewed.

Russia reported that its second COVID-19 vaccine, EpiVacCorona, is 100 percent effective but the results have not been peer-reviewed. According to reports, a Russian candidate COVID-19 vaccine called the "EpiVacCorona," proved “100% effective” in early-stage trials (Phase I and Phase II). The vaccine was developed by Siberia’s Vector Institute. “The effectiveness of the vaccine is made up of its immunological effectiveness and preventative effectiveness,” TASS reported, citing Rospotrebnadzor, the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing. TASS further reported that the results of the efficacy study of the vaccine would be made public in February 2021. However, they did not mention the results of which phase will be made public.

Reuters reported that according to the state trials register, Phase I and II studies tested the safety, side-effects, and immunogenicity of the potential vaccine in 100 people aged 18-60. According to clinicaltrials.gov, the study started around July 27, 2020, and the estimated study completion date was October 4, 2020.

In December 2020, Meduza reported that Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova said: "It [the vaccine] has entered civilian circulation, and Phase III, post-registration clinical trials of the vaccine that was produced by our Vector Research Center are being carried out, this vaccine is called EpiVacCorona." And according to a report by Interfax, According to Interfax, 50,000 doses of EpiVacCorona were set to be released by the end of 2020; 5,000 of which were allocated for research, while the rest was put into general circulation. Mass production of the vaccine was scheduled for early 2021.

However, since Russia has not publicly released its findings and reporting from Phase 1 and Phase 2, and those results have not been peer-reviewed, we cannot conclude that the vaccine is 100 percent effective, and thus we mark this claim as unverifiable.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.