Russia registers ‘Sputnik M’ coronavirus vaccine for adolescents aged 12–17

Russia registered a new version of its “Sputnik” coronavirus vaccine for children aged 12 to 17, the Gamaleya Research Institute confirmed on Wednesday, November 24.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova spoke about the Health Ministry’s plans to register the vaccine, called Sputnik M, during a government meeting earlier in the day on Wednesday.

According to Golikova, the vaccine will be available to adolescents over the age of 15, with either personal or parental consent. Sputnik M is expected to go into general circulation by the end of December.

During the same meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested developing a vaccine against COVID-19 for children as young as two years old. The head of state also supported Golikova’s proposal of making certificates confirming recovery from the coronavirus valid for one year, rather than the current six months.

Also on Wednesday, Putin reported that he received a “booster” in the months after his initial coronavirus vaccine doses. This consisted of an injection of the single-dose Sputnik Lite, followed the next day by a nasal powder spray, he explained.

• Russia has already registered five COVID-19 vaccines: Sputnik V, Sputnik Lite, CoviVac, EpiVacCorona, and EpiVacCorona-N.
• The Sputnik M vaccine is a lower dose version of Sputnik V (its concentration is a fifth of the adult dose). Clinical studies of the vaccine were carried out at two Moscow hospitals in the summer of 2021. The phase III clinical trial began on November 11. According to previous reports, the drug is both safe and effective.