First batch of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V to be delivered to India in April

The first batch of Russia's Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V will be delivered to India in April, said Indian Ambassador to Russia, Bala Venkatesh Varma on Thursday.

"What we heard from companies is that by (the end of) this month, the first shipment will take place and the production will be (launched) there in May and slowly increase," Bala Venkatesh said. He added that that the volume of vaccine production in India will gradually increase and may exceed 50 million doses per month.

On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Envoy to India Roman Babushkin had said that Sputnik vaccine emergency use approval by India will open up a new dimension in the special partnership.

"As far as Sputnik vaccine approval is concerned, this is a very significant step because it will open up a new dimension in our special privileged strategic partnership. It would definitely support efforts of vaccination in India," Babushkin had said.

The Subject expert committee (SEC) for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) gave its approval to Russia's Sputnik V, making it the third Covid-19 vaccine to get clearance in India. India becomes the 60th country to authorise the use of the Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus. The vaccine has now been approved in countries with a total population of 3 billion amounting to 40% of the world's population.

Sputnik V efficacy and side effects

In a phase 3 trial, the Sputnik V vaccine showed 91.6 per cent efficacy with no significant side effects. There is currently a scarcity of knowledge about rare, potentially life-threatening side effects, such as in rare pre-existing conditions or certain risk categories, such as people with allergies. Such side effects are only discovered after a large number of people have been vaccinated and after a longer duration of the study. 

According to TASS, Alexander Ginzburg, the Director of the Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, stated that 5% of those who receive the SPUTNIK V vaccine experience redness around the injection site and a mild headache that goes away within 24 hours. Other than this there are no other side effects from this vaccine as of now so no precautions need to be taken. 

Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines, imported from Russia, will be available from Dr Reddy's Laboratories starting in May. As India's vaccine production ramps up, the drug giant will switch to locally sourced vaccines.