E-Paper
Sputnik V showed 97.8% efficacy in UAE; no adverse cases seen, says RDIF
Sputnik V is “one of the best Covid vaccines in the world” and its inoculation helps in creating a durable immunity and also to return to a normal life, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) on Tuesday released a statement, citing that its coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine Sputnik V has confirmed 97.8% efficacy among more than 81,000 people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), news agency ANI reported.
The RDIF said that the UAE’s health ministry confirmed Sputnik V’s efficacy to the former during a vaccination campaign. The Russian government agency added that the analysis of the efficacy is on the basis of data collected on June 8, according to a report published by news agency ANI. The vaccine is fully effective against severe infections and there were no instances of adverse aftermath after vaccination, the report added.
RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said that inoculating the Russian vaccine helps in creating “durable immunity among the population and provides for lifting the restrictions and returning to normal life.”
He further termed the Sputnik V as “one of the best Covid vaccines in the world” as confirmed by data from Bahrain, Hungary, Mexico, Serbia, Argentina, San Marino, and other nations.
Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a summary report of its preliminary findings during a visit to a Sputnik V vaccine filling site in Russian capital of Moscow from May 31-June 4. The report detailed the identification of around six issues related to the monitoring and control aseptic operation and filling of the vaccine, news agency PTI reported.
“Identified concerns with the implementation of an appropriate Environmental Monitoring Program to monitor and control the aseptic operation and filling of Gam-COVID-Vac,” the WHO said in its interim report.
The Sputnik V, which has so far been registered in 67 countries worldwide with a total population of more than 3.5 billion people, is awaiting a nod from the WHO. Earlier this month, Dmitriev told reporters that the approval from the public health agency is expected to come within two months.
Notably, India had approved Sputnik V for emergency use in April 2021 following “positive results of local Phase 3 clinical study,” the official Twitter account of the vaccine stated.
At the time, India had become the 60th nation to give a nod to the vaccine. Dr Reddy’s laboratories tied up with the RDIF earlier this year to roll out the first 125 million people doses of Sputnik V (250 million vials) across India. It has also received at least 3 million doses of the Russian vaccine, which is the third vaccine to have received approval from the Drug Controllers General of India (DCGI) besides Serum Institute of India’s (SII) Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
