Professor Luke O'Neill says he believes the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine will be approved as evidence shows it's 'very safe'.

The Trinity College immunologist says initial concerns about the vaccine have faded as it's now been given to 'millions and millions' of people.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a rolling review of Sputnik V, which was developed in Russia and is being submitted for approval through a Germany-based firm named R-Pharm Germany.

EMA has started a rolling review of Sputnik V, a #COVID19vaccine developed by Russia’s Gamaleya National Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
👉 https://t.co/pHVqmSMAuW pic.twitter.com/Bff87qJwOV

— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) March 4, 2021

Studies have shown that Sputnik V produces antibodies and immune cells that may help protect against COVID-19.

EMA officials say they'll now evaluate data about the vaccine as it becomes available to "decide if the benefits outweigh the risks".

Professor O'Neill told The Pat Kenny Show he believes the jab will get the green light.

He said: “That will be approved, because that’s a very safe vaccine. It’s been in millions and millions of people.

“We were worrying about Sputnik, but it has been in [millions of] people… [there's a] great safety profile, and [it's] highly efficacious. Why wouldn’t the EMA approve it?”

An EMA decision on the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, meanwhile, is expected on March 11th.

Professor O’Neill repeated his prediction that Ireland will be ‘awash’ with vaccine in the coming months.

Transmissibility

Data on the vaccines has consistently shown they can significantly reduce the risk of severe illness.

However, whether they also stop transmissibility remains the big question that scientists are working to figure out.

Professor O'Neill explained: “If we can stop transmission with the vaccine, that would be tremendous because the virus then just goes away.

“When you get the vaccine, [there’s protection] against you getting sick and ending up in hospital… wouldn’t it be great though if you were no longer infectious to someone else?

“The evidence grows that these vaccines are stopping people getting infected, which is great.”

A Moderna study showed a two-thirds drop in transmission, while an AstraZeneca study showed a 49% drop.

Professor O'Neill says researchers examine this by taking a swab sample from the nose of those who've been vaccinated.

He said: “They’re measuring the viral load - it actually measures the level of virus in the nose.

"In Israel, they’re showing at least a four-fold decrease in the nose once you’ve been vaccinated..

“Huge analysis is happening - it’s like a big experiment. There are so many people in the world vaccinated now - I think it’s 300 million.”