Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 Vaccines is anticipated by some medical experts to be a triumphant breakthrough for India over the COVID catastrophe sweeping India.
Russia is also sending the second batch of 1.5 lakh Sputnik V Covid-19 Vaccines to India and another 30 lakh doses will be arriving in Hyderabad with Dr. Reddys Laboratories by the end of May. Russia has decided to ramp up the production of the COVID vaccines to more than 50 lakh next month and 1 crore by July, according to a report in The Hindustan Times.
The first consignment of 150,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine landed in Hyderabad from Russia on May 1 and. Dr. Reddys Laboratories which has tied up with the Russian Direct Investment Fund for the vaccine said in a notification that the initial quantity will be used across “different channels” following necessary clearances from the Indian drug regulatory machinery.
Experts tell that a single dose of the Sputnik vaccine will help vaccinate twice as many people in the same amount of time. This first shot will be a breakthrough as India is seemingly fighting a losing battle in the second wave and the quick efficacy in the minimum amount of time of the Sputnik shot in the first dose will calm down the COVID storm considerably.
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) told the media that Sputnik Light solves the challenge of immunizing large groups in a shorter time, especially important during the acute phase of the spread of coronavirus. Dmitriev added that the vaccine would be produced by its partners in India, China, and South Korea. Sputnik Light will be priced less than $10.
While the double-dose Sputnik V vaccine is the chief source of immunizations in Russia, the Sputnik Light will be shipped to its international partners to help enhance the rate of vaccinations in a number of countries in the face of the continuing battle with the pandemic. “We believe that by June, Sputnik Light will be registered pretty much in most of the countries that registered for Sputnik V,” Dmitriev said.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories had received emergency use approval from DCGI for Sputnik V double dose in April. Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories is in the process of rolling out that vaccine.
Apart from Sputnik V, Russia is sending at least four medium oxygen generating trucks, which can feed a 200-bed hospital after being plugged into the power supply. These trucks produce 70 kilograms of oxygen per hour and 50,000 liters per day so that there is no scarcity of oxygen at the hospital to which they are connected.
NITI Aayog member (a public policy think tank of the Government of India) Mr. Paul noted that if the claims of the vaccine developer are true, it can help double the speed of vaccination in India and said, “…it is very promising if there is protection from single dosage as they have claimed. It is very encouraging and makes us feel very optimistic. Single-dose vaccines can increase the speed of vaccination, but the merit and the processing of their request, as and when it comes, will be based on scientific data and information,” he noted.
However, the long-term protection of these vaccines remains unclear and it is only hoped that after the vaccinations, people will eventually develop herd immunity that will kill the virus eventually. However, herd immunity does not mean crowding and it has to be emphasized over and over that as much isolation (distancing with masking) and vaccinations are our biggest weapons against COVID-19 for now.
However, the long-term protection of these vaccines remains unclear and it is only hoped that after the vaccinations, people will eventually develop herd immunity that will kill the virus eventually. However, herd immunity does not mean crowding and it has to be emphasized over and over that as much isolation (distancing with masking) and vaccinations are our biggest weapons against COVID-19 for now.