All you need to know about Russia’s Sputnik V covid vaccine

Russia’s Sputnik V has been freed by India’s drug regulator, obtaining it as the third vaccine to be authorised for emergency use in the country against the fatal coronavirus. The vaccine is specified after the first Soviet space satellite Sputnik; the V in its name however stands for the alphabet ‘V (for the vaccine).

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories announced that it has obtained permission from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to import and ingress the Sputnik vaccine into India for just limited use in emergencies, on Tuesday. The co-chairman and managing director of Dr Reddy’s Labs- GV Prasad asserted that with increasing cases in India, vaccination is the most efficient tool in the struggle against Covid-19. “This intention will enable us to contribute to our nation’s effort of vaccinating a significant proportion of our population.’ 

India graced as the 60th country to impart emergency use sanction for Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, on Monday. The approval is subjected to provisions of “ NEW DRUG and CLINICAL TRIALS Rules 2019 under the DRUGS and COSMETICS ACT.’

Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin were given the go-ahead green signal for limited use in India, before Sputnik V.

The advancement comes at a time when India is suffering a vaccine crisis with states closing down vaccination centres due to lack of hits.

Currently, India is battling a severe surge in virus cases which has provoked night curfews and prevention on movements and other activities. Meanwhile to support the prevention of crises the Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) has permitted the use of Sputnik V. 

All you need to know about the Sputnik V vaccine:-

Sputnik V is an adenoviral vector-based vaccine. It employs a weak virus to incite an invulnerable response much like the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield. “Vectors” are channels, which can provoke a genetic element from a different virus into a cell. The gene from adenovirus, which induces the infection, is killed while a gene with the code of a protein from another virus spike is implanted.

This implanted element is safe for the body but still boosts the immune system to respond and generate antibodies, which shield us from infection. Human adenoviruses are acknowledged as some of the most apparent to engineer in this way and therefore they have enhanced very popularly as vectors.

Who Will Manufacture Sputnik V In India?

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has produced the covid vaccine. The organisation told it has treaties with India’s Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma and Virchow Biotech to manufacture 850 million doses per year in the country.

Has Sputnik V Been Examined In India?

Dr Reddy’s has united with the RDIF to convey the clinical trials of Sputnik V. In extension to the trials escorted in Russia by RDIF, phase II/III clinical trials of the vaccine were conducted by Dr Reddy’s in India, In September 2020.

Is the Sputnik V vaccine safe?

According to the reports manifested by the data issued in one of the preeminent medical journals-The Lancet, the Russian vaccine has an effectiveness of 91.6% and renders full safeguard against critical cases of Covid-19.

It is one of only three vaccines in the world with effectiveness of over 90%; Sputnik V renders full assurance against critical cases of Covid-19.

Sputnik V practices two separate vectors for the two shots during the course of vaccination, giving immunity with more prolonged duration than vaccines using the same performance mechanism for both shots.

As per the tests conducted so far, there are no vigorous allergies affected by Sputnik V.

How Much Will Sputnik V Cost In India?

The vaccine has been rated at about USD 10 (Rs 750) per shot in different countries. Though, the rate at which it will be retailed in India is yet to be determined.

Which Are The Other Countries Using Sputnik V?

Sputnik V stands second among coronavirus vaccines globally in terms of the number of admirations dispensed by government regulators.

The total population of 60 countries where Sputnik V is encouraged for use is 3 billion people or about 40% of the global population.

The countries where it has been accepted are– Russia, Belarus, Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia, Algeria, Palestine, Venezuela, Paraguay, Turkmenistan, Hungary, UAE, Iran, Republic of Guinea, Tunisia, Armenia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Republika Srpska (an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina), Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Mongolia, Bahrain, Montenegro, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Gabon, San-Marino, Ghana, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Guyana, Egypt, Honduras, Guatemala, Moldova, Slovakia, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Laos, Iraq, North Macedonia, Kenya, Morocco, Jordan, Namibia, Azerbaijan, Philippines, Cameroon, Seychelles, Mauritius, Vietnam, Antigua and Barbuda, Mali and Panama.

When Will Sputnik V Be Available In India?

There will be a restricted number of doses that will be available in India by the end of April. The RDIF aspires to manufacture 850 million doses per year in India.

Moreover, according to references, around 10 crore doses of the Sputnik V vaccine are expected to be shipped for emergency use in the country in the next six to seven months.