Delhi’s Indraprastha Apollo hospital begins administering Sputnik V vaccine, beneficiaries can register through CoWin app

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Indraprastha Apollo has started administering the Sputnik V anti-COVID vaccine to the public in a staged manner from June 30. The hospital said that as of today, around 1000 persons have been administered the Sputnik V vaccine.

The spot registration and walk-in facility for Sputnik V are currently restricted and we are encouraging beneficiaries to register and make appointments through the CoWIN app, the Indraprastha Apollo hospital said in a statement.

The spot registration and walk-in facility for Sputnik V are currently restricted and we are encouraging beneficiaries to register and make appointments through the CoWIN app: Indraprastha Apollo#Delhi — ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2021

Indraprastha Apollo hospital had earlier said that it would tentatively start administering the two-dose vaccine by June 25. Sputnik V uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans. The two doses, given 21 days apart, are different and not interchangeable.

The Centre has fixed the price of the vaccine at Rs 1,145 per dose. The maximum price of Covishield for private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been fixed at Rs 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin at Rs 1,410 per dose.

Russia's Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology has developed the vaccine and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is marketing it globally.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories has been importing the shots from Russia. Over a period of time, the vaccine is also going to be manufactured in India. According to Gamaleya and the RDIF, Sputnik V has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 92 per cent.

In a related development, the central government`s Subject Expert Committee (SEC) has denied permission to Dr Reddy`s Laboratories for conducting Phase 3 trials of Russia`s COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light in India.

"The SEC has denied permission to Dr Reddy`s to conduct phase-3 trials on the Russian vaccine Sputnik Light in India," sources told ANI. 

After launching Sputnik V, Russia had introduced a new single-dose vaccine called Sputnik Light in May. Sputnik Light has also been developed by the Russian Ministry of Health, the Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

The RDIF had earlier said that the Russian Sputnik Light coronavirus vaccine demonstrates 78.6 per cent to 83.7 per cent efficacy among the elderly, according to real-world data collected by the Ministry of Health of the Buenos Aires province (Argentina).