The development of a successful vaccine was of central concern to governments around the world from the moment the coronavirus crisis began. When Russia’s Gamaleya Institute announced that their Sputnik V vaccine was ready for use in August 2020 — to great shock and derision — the Russian government made clear its intention that Sputnik would be a “vaccine for all mankind”. Yet, as the UK and her Western allies built their vaccine portfolios, Sputnik remained conspicuous by its absence. While information operations and wider geopolitical considerations were undoubtedly at play, this paper sets out the data and efficacy concerns that were central to explaining the lack of Western interest in the Sputnik jab.
Written by Alex Urwin