Covid-19 Vaccine: After Russia, Belarus First Country To Vaccinate People With Sputnik V

Belarus will be the first country after Russia to use the Sputnik V vaccine for Covid-19. Russia had started the vaccination drive earlier this month.

(Representative Image/ PTI)

New Delhi: Belarus has become the first country after Russia to begin vaccination of people with the Sputnik V vaccine for Covid-19. The information was given by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) which has collaborated with Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology to develop the adenovirus vector-based vaccine. In November, the Gamaleya Insititute of the Russian Healthcare Ministry had claimed that the Sputnik V vaccine's efficacy is over 95% 42 days after the first dose is administered. The conclusion was reached after the second interim analysis of clinical trial data wherein the vaccine showed 91.4% efficacy on day 28 and 95%  efficacy 42 days after the first dose is administered. "Second interim analysis of clinical trial data showed a 91.4% efficacy for the Sputnik V vaccine on day 28 after the first dose; vaccine efficacy is over 95% 42 days after the first dose," said the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology. Russia gave the green signal to start mass vaccination with the Sputnik V vaccine earlier this month. As per reports, Sputnik V will be available for free to all Russian citizens. Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russia will produce 2 million vaccine doses. In September 2020, Dr. Reddy’s Lab and RDIF entered into a partnership to conduct clinical trials and distribute the vaccine in India. As part of the agreement, the RDIF will supply 100 million doses of the Vaccine to the country upon approval. After approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the pharma giant Dr. Reddy's Laboratories has started testing the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 on 100 volunteers in India.