Sputnik V to be administered in 2 doses, should be taken from same hospital: Dr Reddy's

Vaccine distributor Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Tuesday said that the two doses of Sputnik V vaccine should be taken at the same hospital. The pharma company also informed that the two vaccines must have a gap of 21 days. “In India, Sputnik V vaccine is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap. Both doses of the vaccine should be taken from the same hospital,” Dr Reddy's said in a statement.

The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company’s latest announcement comes after the vaccine makers Panacea Biotec began supply of the second component of the Sputnik-V vaccine. The makers have now made the first shipment of the second component of the vaccine to hospitals across India. "As announced by our partners, the RDIF and Panacea Biotec, supply of the second dose component manufactured by Panacea Biotec has now commenced. Dr Reddy's has initiated supply of the first dose component to partner hospitals all over India followed by equivalent quantities of the second dose component," the spokesperson of the city-based pharma firm told PTI.

Dr Reddy’s informed that individuals who wish to get the Russian vaccine can visit their official site to find out its availability. The company had earlier suspended the supply of the first dose component due to logistical constraints from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Dr Reddy's had signed a pact with RDIF to sell the first 125 million people doses of the vaccine in India. Earlier in August, Indian pharma company Panacea Biotec had announced their plans to produce up to 25 million doses of the vaccine and supply it to Dr Reddy’s for distribution.

Russia's COVID vaccine-Sputnik V

The vaccine has been developed by Russia's Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and is being marketed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), globally. Dr Reddy's Laboratories, the marketing partner for the vaccine in the country, has been importing the shots from Russia. Apart from India, the Sputnik V vaccine has been registered in a number of countries, including Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, Serbia, Bahrain, Hungary, UAE, and others. The vaccine uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans. It employs a different vector for each of the two shots, given 21 days apart. According to Gamaleya and the RDIF, Sputnik V was first introduced with an efficacy rate of 92 per cent, however, this fell during future tests to 83 per cent.

IMAGE: PTI