Sputnik Vaccine Soft Launch Expanded To Metros Including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata; Commercial Launch Soon

Dr Reddy’s said the registration on CoWIN is not open for the public, adding presently it being a limited pilot phase and will become open once the commercial launch is commenced.

(Representative Image/Getty)

Hyderabad: Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, which soft-launched the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V in Hyderabad, has expanded the pilot presently in the final leg to other cities, including New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai.

Dr Reddy’s said the registration on CoWIN is not open for the public, adding presently it being a limited pilot phase and will become open once the commercial launch is commenced.

Stating the limited pilot soft-launch of the Sputnik V vaccine in India that was initiated by the company in Hyderabad on May 14 has now been successfully scaled up to other cities such as Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, Baddi, Chennai, Miryalaguda and Kolhapur, Dr Reddy’s said more cities will follow in the next few days.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, which is in a pact with Russian Direct Investment Fund to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of SputnikV in India, recently received nearly three million doses of Sputnik V.

The pilot has allowed Dr Reddy’s to test the cold storage arrangements of -18C temperature in the cities, CoWIN integration, track and trace and other logistical arrangements ahead of the commercial launch, PTI reported the release as saying.

Dr Reddy’s said the adequate number of cold chain units is being deployed, adding the last mail arrangement is being validated at every partner hospital to ensure seamless storage and handling of the vaccine.