Ever since the government started its vaccination drive in January this year, it has been using Serum Institute of India's (SII) Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin to inoculate people. According to the same officials, the government is looking to include Sputnik V in the vaccination drive.
Earlier in May, Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), the vaccine’s distributor in the country, had received the first consignment of 150,000 Sputnik V doses in Hyderabad.
In a meeting which will be held on Friday, the experts will review the framework for Sputnik V and other new vaccines under development.
“The new vaccines in the immediate pipeline include Sputnik V, DNA vaccine by Zydus Cadila and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and the experts will review the framework, for example, the storage facilities for Sputnik V which require below minus 8 degree celsius,” added one official.
With India facing an acute shortage of vaccines, the inclusion of Sputnik V will provide some respite to the already crunched vaccine supply that is choking the vaccination drive in the country.
“At present, the demand is outpacing the supply and the inclusion of Sputnik V will provide the much-needed respite to the expanded vaccination drive,” added another official.
The NTAGI will also review if the Covid-19 vaccine is safe for pregnant women based on which a decision in this regard will be taken today. “We are reviewing the evidence from other countries and will take a decision regarding the same in the meeting today,” a government official said.
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