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Sputnik V in India

Sputnik V vaccine is 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid-19 infections. (Photo: Pixahive)

Sputnik V in India: Third vaccine for Covid-19 coming soon

Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V has been recommended for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) in India by the Subject expert committee (SEC), as per several media reports. After the recommendation of the SEC, the vaccine has to get a green signal by the Drug Controller General of India before it can be widely used to inoculate citizens.

If approved, this will be the third vaccine to be used in India after Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

Sputnik V trials in India

Dr Reddy’s partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) in September 2020 to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V in India. The trials are on for around 1,600 people between 18 and 99.

How will Sputnik V work?

According to a report in The Lancet, the Sputnik V vaccine uses a heterologous recombinant adenovirus approach using adenovirus 26 (Ad26) and adenovirus 5 (Ad5) as vectors for the expression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein. The use of two varying serotypes, which are given 21 days apart, is intended to overcome any pre-existing adenovirus immunity in the population.

Efficacy

Sputnik V vaccine is 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid-19 infections, according to results published in The Lancet in February. The results suggest Sputnik V is among the top-performing vaccines.

Sputnik V dosage

Russia’s Sputnik V is a two-dose vaccine. You take the first dose on day zero and the second one on day 21.

Other Covid-19 vaccines in the pipeline

As per some media reports quoting government officials, there will be five more vaccines will be in use in India by October. Apart from the SputnikV, the other vaccines coming up are Johnson and Johnson (Bio E), Cadilla Zydus, Serum’s Novavex and Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine.

India’s daily new cases continue to rise. 1,68,912 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours. Ten states including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan have shown a rise in the COVID daily new cases. India’s total Active Caseload has reached 12,01,009. It now comprises 8.88% of the country’s total Positive Cases.

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