President Putin was vaccinated with Sputnik V early this year, but now he feels "My titers of antibodies have dropped." So he took a booster with Sputnik Light early this week, before undergoing the nasal trial vaccination, possibly in both powder and liquid forms, with no AEFI!

The WHO says a nasal spray vaccine's effect is limited to local (nasal mucosa) immunisation only although it could by and large prevent the virus from navigating to the lungs to a great extent. Covid infects only through the nasal passage, by inhalation, and transmits only through exhalation, or droplets from sneezing or coughing - the Chinese had shared the knowledge with the rest of the world as early as March, 2020, or even earlier, yet the virus devastated us!

MOSCOW, Nov 26: Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken the nasal vaccine for covid developed in the country, three days after getting a booster vaccination with Sputnik Light. He said he felt the immunity from the first dose of Sputnik V taken early this year was waning. "My titers of antibodies have dropped."

Russia plans to supply the nasal covid vaccine to other countries next year. It is simple, no-cost, no personnel required to administer, no transportation hassles, available over the counter, and simply self-administering like any other spray. But pharmas will reap no profits! However, its effect, the WHO says, is limited to local (nasal mucosa) immunisation although it could by and large prevent the virus from navigating to the lungs.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, the President was taking part in the nasal vaccine trials. "The head of state had neither side effects nor fever," Peskov added, but did not say when exactly did he take the trial dose. Probably it was on Tuesday. Putin had told a Government meeting previously that he had also tested a nasal vaccine in powder form earlier. This time the nasal vaccine was a liquid spray.

Pre-clinical trials showed that the vaccine is safe and effective, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.

"Pre-clinical trials have already been conducted, they showed that the vaccine is safe and effective, a clinical trials program has been prepared," Mishustin said. According to him, "permission has been given to launch phase one clinical trials on adult volunteers." "It needs to be done in order to once again assess the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and determine the right dosage," the Prime Minister specified.

The GamCovidVac nasal spray vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said a new Sputnik M vaccine for use for children aged 12-17 is also in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, Russia is paying the price for rampant vaccine hesitancy. There has been a sudden, alarming surge in covid cases in the country like what Europe is facing in. Only 42% of the country's population of 146 million people have been fully vaccinated.

There were 33,558 new infections and 1,240 deaths reported on Wednesday. In total, there were 9.4 million confirmed infections and more than 267,000 covid deaths so far. But, according to Russia's statistical service, Rosstat, 462,000 people died between April 2020 and September of this year.