‘Take both doses of Sputnik-V Covid-19 vaccine from same hospital’: Dr Reddy’s

Dr Reddy’s also announced that it has initiated supply of the first dose component of Sputnik-V vaccine to partner hospitals across the country

The Sputnik-V Covid-19 vaccine should be administered in two doses at a gap of 21 days, and both the doses should be taken from the same hospital, Dr Reddy's Laboratories said on Tuesday. “Currently in India, Sputnik V vaccine is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap. Both doses of the vaccine should be taken from the same hospital,” the statement released by Dr Reddy’s said.

Dr Reddy's signed a pact with RDIF to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of Sputnik V vaccine in India. (HT Archive)

The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company also announced that it has initiated supply of the first dose component of Sputnik-V vaccine to partner hospitals across the country, and those who want to be inoculated with the Russian vaccine can visit their official site to find out if it's available in their area.

The supply of the first dose component had to be suspended owing to logistical constraints from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the sovereign wealth fund that partnered with Dr Reddy’s to manufacture Sputnik-V vaccines in India. Dr Reddy's signed a pact with RDIF to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of Sputnik V vaccine in India.

Tuesday’s announcement comes after Panacea Biotec supplied the first shipment of the second component of the Sputnik-V vaccine to hospitals across India. The Indian pharma firm said in August that they will produce 25 million doses of the vaccine and supply it to Dr Reddy’s for distribution.

"As announced by our partners, the RDIF and Panacea Biotec, supply of the second dose component manufactured by Panacea Biotec has now commenced. Dr Reddy's has initiated supply of the first dose component to partner hospitals all over India followed by equivalent quantities of the second dose component. With more batches of the second dose component to follow from the manufacturing site, Dr Reddy's expects the momentum and supply to continue,” a representative of the company told news agency PTI.

Sputnik-V, which was found to be 91.6% effective against Covid-19 during the third phase clinical trials, has also been approved by countries such as Bahrain, Hungary, Indonesia, Armenia and the Philippines among others.