Boost for India's COVID fight as Sputnik V vaccine ready for rollout, will be available in private and government facilities

NEW DELHI: Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V will be available at both government and private facilities within the next few days, TNIE has learnt.

This could boost India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive, which has failed to gather pace due to an acute shortage of Covishield and Covaxin. 

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Labs, which conducted Sputnik V’s clinical trials, has the rights to supply 12.5 crore doses of the vaccine.

The firm received the first lot of 1.5 lakh doses on May 1.

“The rollout of the consignment will be subject to the necessary clearances, which will be processed over the next few days,” Deepak Sapra, CEO (API and services) at Dr Reddy’s told TNIE.

The clearances include testing at the Central Drugs Laboratory at Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. Sapra said the initial quantity will be used as a pilot to test the robustness of the supply chain for the larger vaccination programme rollout.

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“Subsequent consignments will arrive in the next few weeks,” he added. 

Three other companies in India have tied up with the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Sputnik V’s sponsor, for local production. The Russian embassy said the target is 85 crore doses per year. 

Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has gone past 17.26 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

It said 5,18,479 beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group received their first doses on Monday, which took the cumulatively number for the category to 25,52,843 across 30 states and Union Territories since the start of the phase-3 of the vaccination drive.

The 25,52,843 individuals include 5,10,347 from Maharashtra, 4,11,002 from Rajasthan, 3,66,309 from Delhi, 3,23,601 from Gujarat and 2,93,716 from Haryana, 1,77,885 from Bihar, 1,66,814 from Uttar Pradesh and 1,06,538 from Assam.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 17,26,33,761 as per the 8 pm provisional report, the ministry said.

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This include 95,63,406 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 65,05,072 HCWs who have taken the second dose; 1,40,49,681 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose, and 78,51,075 FLWs who have taken the second dose.

Besides, 5,54,97,658 and 71,73,939 beneficiaries over 45 to 60 years have been administered the first and second doses respectively, while 5,38,00,706 and 1,56,39,381 beneficiaries above 60 years have taken the first and second dose.

As on Day-115 of the vaccination drive (10th May, 2021), a total of 24,30,017 vaccine doses were given which included 10,47,092 beneficiaries first doses 13,82,925 second doses according to the provisional report till 8 pm, the ministry said, adding the final report would be completed for the day by late night.

(With PTI Inputs)

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