Daily News Capsule

As of Tuesday, the Russian investment fund said they will export the first batch of sputnik V covid-19 vaccine from May 1, when all adults will be getting the covid-19 vaccine to cover the large population.

“The first doses will be delivered on 1 May,” RDIF chief executive officer Kirill Dmitriev said.

Nonetheless, a spokesperson for the company’s partner in India, DR. Reddy’s laboratory stated that they are not providing a specific date for the launch of the vaccine, adding that the company earlier said that the delivery will start at the end of May, that the timeline has now been shifted to anytime in May.

“Discussions over pricing and the number of doses are still ongoing between Dr. Reddy’s, RDIF, and the government,” the spokesperson said.

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Last year RDIF had said that the company will decide the price of vaccine at less than 10$/dose in the international markets. However, the pricing of sputnik V will be different in different countries.

As earlier Dr. Reddy’s management said that the initial quantity of vaccines that will be supplied in India will be limited as they will primarily be imported from Russia. Though, the RDIF’s manufacturers in India will start making the dose nationally by July. Afterward, the supply would be increased.

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Nonetheless, six companies of India are in partnership with the RDIF, including hetero biopharma, stelis biopharma, Virchow biotech, panacea biotech, gland pharma, and Shilpa medicare, and contracted collectively for the manufacture of the more than 850 millions dose of sputnik V covid-19 vaccine.

As the cases are increasing, the demand for more vaccination increases. The vaccination for adults including 18-44 old years is going to start from 1 May. Previously only the front-line workers and 45 years and above were eligible. But Friday onwards, anybody ages 18 or above will be eligible to take the vaccine shot with one of the 3 vaccines including sputnik V from May 1.

Also, the manufacturer strategy of India is dry up and scarcity of vaccines could arise anytime. Thus, the arrival of sputnik V can be proved as a savior for us.