INDIA APPROVES RUSSIA’S SPUTNIK V

Health authorities grant emergency use authorisation as infections soar to record highs

INDIA has authorised emergency use of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, the Health Ministry said Tuesday, as infection rates soar to record highs and some major cities boost their hospital bed capacity.

Sputnik V is the third vaccine to be approved by India after the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot and Covaxin, which was developed by Indian firm Bharat Biotech.

The recommendations of an expert panel (SEC) had been accepted to authorise its use, the Health Ministry said.

“The SEC recommended for grant of permission for restricted use in emergency situations subject to various regulatory provisions.”

G.V. Prasad, co-chair of pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, said his firm was “very pleased to obtain the emergency use authorisation”.

“With the rising cases in India, vaccination is the most effective tool in our battle against Covid-19.”

The South Asian nation of 1.3 billion people has been battling a huge surge in virus cases in recent weeks that has prompted night curfews and a clampdown on movement and activities.

India on Monday reported more than 161,000 new cases, the seventh consecutive day that over 100,000 infections were recorded.

In India’s financial and film capital Mumbai, authorities on Monday said three more field hospitals, each with 2,000 beds, including 200 for intensive care, would be built in the next six weeks.

In the national capital here, officials on Monday said the number of beds for Covid-19 patients would be ramped up, while 14 larger hospitals would be turned into dedicated virus facilities.

The chief minister here had said two-thirds of new Covid-19 patients were younger than 45.

Sputnik V, backed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), already has production agreements in the country to produce 852 million doses.

RDIF chief executive Kirill Dmitriev said the approval was a “major milestone” after “extensive cooperation” on clinical trials of the shot in India.

Dmitriev told Indian broadcaster NDTV that the first doses could be ready later this month or the next, with ramped-up production by June.

India, home to the world’s biggest vaccine manufacturer, kicked off its inoculation drive in January and has administered more than 108 million shots.

But the government’s ambitious goal of vaccinating 300 million people by the end of July has been hit by reports of stock shortages in some states and vaccine hesitancy.