New Delhi: India is set to get 5 million doses of Russian COVID vaccine Sputnik V by June, even as the vaccine is set to be rolled in the country from May 1. Sputnik V is the third vaccine India has given approval to after the University of Oxford, AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield and Indian Vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech Covaxin.
New Delhi: India is set to get 5 million doses of Russian COVID vaccine Sputnik V by June, even as the vaccine is set to be rolled in the country from May 1. Sputnik V is the third vaccine India has given approval to after the University of Oxford, AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield and Indian Vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech Covaxin.
Announcing the development, the Indian envoy to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma said, "We expect between 150,000 to 200,000 ready-made vaccines to be available very quickly in the early part of May. But this will be increased by middle and the latter part of May and perhaps by May itself, the total Sputnik V Numbers will be probably more than 3 million." Adding, "So, it's a very substantial number. This will steadily increase to 5 million in June, 10 million, correspondingly we wish to take it forward."
Gamaleya Research Institute, which developed the vaccine has in a recent study said that the vaccine is effective against mutant forms of the COVID-19. The arrival of the Sputnik V vaccine coincides with India will open up vaccination for the entire adult population from May 1. Envoy Venkatesh said Sputnik V "will be providing a contribution to India's vaccination efforts" and " as the scale of vaccination increases in India, its manufacturing will happen."
Russian sovereign wealth fund Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has funded the vaccine, has signed a pact with five Indian companies to produce 850 million doses of the vaccine. The production begins in May. The India-produced Russian vaccine will not only be used in India and Russia but will also be exported to other countries. Envoy highlighted, "We expect in the months ahead more than 60-70 % of Sputnik vaccine produced anywhere will be produced in India".
RDIF is in talks with Indian regulators to do a combination of vaccines like first can be AstraZeneca, second can be Sputnik V. The Envoy Varma pointed while its, "not been approved as yet" but if that "combination is possible then that is an additional benefit". Russia is also expected to make an announcement on Sputnik Lite.
Russia extended support to India earlier this week by sending 22 tonnes of grant assistance to deal with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The assistance includes 20 oxygen production units, 75 lung ventilators, 150 medical monitors, and 2,00,000 packs of medicine. Russian Emergencies Ministry had sent Two Il-76 aircraft with supplies, which envoy Venkatesh said, "is extremely valued" and this "assistance will live in our memory as one more standing testimony of very close friendship" between India and Russia.
When asked about any travel ban between the two countries amid the COVID-19 crisis in India, Envoy dismissed that saying, "at present no plans for restricting air travel" between India and Russia. Two flights are being run by Aeroflot and two by Air India between both the countries even as Moscow authorities have taken additional precautions including conducting additional tests on travellers coming from India. Several countries have imposed restrictions on travellers from India due to the pandemic.
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 "Indian envoy to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma at the presser")
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