Russia authorises use of Sputnik Light, the single dose vaccine for Covid19
Sovereign wealth fund Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) on Thursday said the move will pave way for the immunisation of a larger number of people in a shorter time frame. Sputnik Light is the first component — recombinant human adenovirus serotype number 26 (rAd26) — of Sputnik V vaccine that has been approved by over 60 countries, including India.
CEO Kirill Dmitriev said that while the two-dose Sputnik V remains the main source of vaccination, Sputnik Light will be “exported to our international partners to help increase the rate of vaccinations in the face of the ongoing fight against the pandemic and new strains of coronavirus.” At less than $10, the vaccine will also be affordable, he said.
There is a big interest already in Sputnik Light and it is likely to be registered in several countries by as early as next week. “It can be used as a booster shot for other vaccines. Cocktail of vaccines like Sputnik V is the way to go and work very well,” he said, adding that the booster shot will require additional trials.
An RDIF statement showed that according to analyzed data taken from 28 days after the injection was administered, Sputnik Light demonstrated 79.4% efficacy. The efficacy of Sputnik V has been reported at nearly 92%.
