Sputnik V's first batch to arrive in India on May 1 amid COVID-19 vaccine shortage

In a significant development in India's fight against COVID-19, the first lot of Russian-made Sputnik V is said to arrive in India tomorrow i.e. May 1. This development assumes much significance as India's COVID-19 situation remains grim with new infections surged past 3.8 lakh cases in a single day on Friday. The Lancet journal has reviewed the vaccine's efficacy to be at 91.6%.

The Russian vaccine was expected to arrive in India earliest by May end, however, this early delivery of vaccines has seemingly come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to discuss the COVID-19 situation. 

After the conversation, PM Modi had thanked the Russian President for extending help and support in India's fight against COVID-19. He had also said that India and Russia's cooperation on the Sputnik V vaccine will assist humanity in battling the pandemic.

Although there is no information as yet on the quantity of Sputnik V vaccines to arrive tomorrow, the delivery occurs at a time when India is beginning its phase-III of the COVID-19 vaccination to vaccinate 18+ population, but several states have highlighted the issue of lack of availability of vaccines to begin the vaccination of 18 and above. Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana among others have claimed a lack of availability of vaccines to begin the vaccination of 18+.

60th country to approve Sputnik V

India became the 60th country to approve Sputnik V. While the Sputnik V is being imported initially, India will also produce more than 850 million doses of the Russian vaccine annually. Dr. Reddy’s and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) entered into a partnership to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and the rights for distribution in India. The cost of one dose of the vaccine for international markets will be less than $10 and Sputnik V is a two-dose vaccine that can be stored at a temperature of +2 to +8 degrees Celsius. Sputnik V will be the third vaccine to be used in India against Coronavirus. Covaxin, indigenously developed and manufactured by Bharat Biotech and Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India in collaboration with Oxford-AstraZeneca are the two vaccines used in India's vaccination drive at present. 

India began its COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16, aiming to vaccinate 3 crore health care workers. Its second phase of vaccination kicked off on March 1, with PM Modi taking the first shot. The second phase was dedicated to those above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with co-morbidities - registered on CoWIN portal and walk-ins at some hospitals. On April 1, the Centre opened up vaccination for all above 45 years and from May 1, 18 years and above will be eligible to get themselves vaccinated, for which the registrations have begun from April 28 on CoWIN portal and Aarogya Setu App.