Russia’s Sputnik Light may be the first single-dose vaccine used in India, and Dr. Reddy’s will hold talks with the government and the regulator in June for an immediate launch told sources.
For the time being, the two-dose Sputnik V will be available at 35 locations around India.
According to Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, which manufactures the vaccine in India, the imported vaccine shot would cost $995.40.
The first dose of the vaccine was delivered today in Hyderabad as part of Dr. Reddy’s soft rollout.
Once the vaccine is produced in India, the price will be reduced. Sputnik V will be the third vaccine used in India, after Covishield by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech.
Other than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Sputnik V is the only one that has shown the efficacy of more than 91% against Covid-19 when administered in two doses 21 days apart.
The first batch of Sputnik vaccines, completely formulated and ready for administration, will be supplied from Russia.
At a period when vaccination shortages have delayed or stopped immunizations in many nations, a single-dose vaccine may be a game-changer.
The government decided yesterday that the interval between two Covishield shots should be 12 to 16 weeks, rather than the former four to six weeks.
