OREANDA-NEWS. Commenting on the Australian regulator's recommendations to recognize the Sputnik V vaccine, Alexei Kuznetsov, Assistant Minister of Health of Russia, told RIA Novosti that the expansion of the list of countries that have recognized the Russian vaccine indicates that its high effectiveness is recognized abroad.

On January 17, the Australian regulator recommended that the government of the country recognize vaccinations made with the Russian drug Sputnik V for citizens of other states arriving in the country.

“Today, the TGA determined that vaccination against COVID-19 with the Gamaleya Institute (Sputnik V, Russian Federation) two-component preparation will be “recognized” to confirm the vaccination status of arriving travelers,” the regulator said in a statement.

According to the TGA, two doses of the Sputnik V vaccine show an average efficacy of at least 89% against infection with coronavirus and 98-100% protect against severe COVID-19 and death from complications caused by the disease.

It is noted that the recognition of the Russian vaccine will increase Australia's ability to receive foreign students and skilled labor migrants, and foreigners who have received two doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine will now be considered fully vaccinated and will be allowed to enter Australia.

The drug, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, became the world's first coronavirus vaccine. According to RDIF, the Russian vaccine has been approved in 71 countries with a total population of 4 billion people.