'WHO's recognition of Sputnik V underway; UN would welcome the vaccine': Antonio Guterres

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is currently in the process of recognising the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V and the United Nations would welcome its completion, said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday.

"We would very much welcome the Sputnik vaccine being recognized by the WHO. And I know that the process, the dialogue is taking place. I am very grateful for the fact that the Russian Federation has made the vaccine available to UN staff. We believe that the Sputnik V vaccine is one of the key elements in being able to address this COVIVD-19 challenge," Guterres said.

The UN chief spoke after concluding talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow. Russia has offered to work together with other COVID-19 vaccine makers to expand vaccine distribution worldwide.

"Of course, we are very open to cooperation with other vaccine manufacturers. And if they show similar interest, I think we could have very positive cooperation," Lavrov said.

The foreign minister also mentioned that over 60 countries have registered Sputnik V for emergency use and many of them have already received the first batch of the vaccine. The vaccine’s efficacy is reported at 91.4% based on data analysis of the final control point of clinical trials, states its official website, which has been reviewed by Lancet journal. 

India to receive second batch of Sputnik V vaccines

India became the 60th country to approve Sputnik V. The first batch of the Russian vaccine comprising 1,50,000 doses arrived in Hyderabad last week while the remaining batches consisting of over 3 million doses will arrive in India on Friday, May 14. The rollout of the Sputnik V vaccine is expected to augment India’s third phase of the vaccination drive which is underway amid a record rise in COVID-19 infections.

Sputnik V is the third vaccine to be approved for emergency use in India after ‘Covishield’, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and ‘Covaxin’, the indigenous vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech. Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.