Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Ready For Rollout, To Be Available In Market From Next Week

With this, India will now have three vaccines to boost its mega vaccination drive which was recently opened for those above 18 years.

Vials of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. (Getty Image)

New Delhi: In a major breakthrough, India is most likely to rollout Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against Coronavirus for inoculation of its citizens from next week. The announcement was made by the Union Health Ministry on Thursday during a press conference. 

While making the announcement, Dr. VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog said that he is hopeful that Sputnik V vaccines be available in the market next week. "We're hopeful that the sale of the limited supply that has come from there (Russia), will begin next week," he said. 

With this, India will now have three vaccines to boost its mega vaccination drive which was recently opened for those above 18 years. Paul also informed that further supply of Sputnik V from Russia is also awaited. 

Furthermore, he said that the production of Russia's Covid vaccine in India will begin in July and it is estimated that 15.6 crore doses will be manufactured in that period.

Sputnik V, the vaccine against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has been developed by Russia's Gamaleya National Center and Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy's Laboratories will manufacture the vaccine in India.

The Russian vaccine was given emergency use authorisation in India by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in April, amid the significantly rising cases of Coronavirus, which led to a second wave of the infection in the country.

First batch of Russian vaccine for Covid-19, Sputnik V, arrived in Hyderabad on May 1 via a special cargo flight. The consignment was delivered to Dr Reddy's Laboratories, which has entered into an agreement with the Russian vaccine maker.

"First batch of Sputnik V has arrived in Hyderabad, India. That's the same day the country starts mass Covid vaccination drive covering entire adult population. Let's jointly defeat this pandemic. Together we are stronger," Sputnik V had tweeted from its official Twitter handle.

With an efficacy of 91.6 per cent, Sputnik V was the first vaccine against Covid-19 in the world. Clinical trial data published in The Lancet indicated that the vaccine is "appears safe and effective".