New Delhi, India

Amid the rising COVID-19 cases in India, the central government has approved the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine for those who opted for it as per a report by Hindustan Times.

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While India began administering the third dosage of vaccination to its adult population earlier this year, it was only to individuals who had chosen Covaxin and Covishield.

Currently, there is no such opportunity for people who had chosen two doses of Sputnik V vaccines to receive a third dose. No specific time frame about how long the availability process will take is declared but the officials suggested that it might take a few weeks. 

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Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, which has the rights to market and distribute the Russian vaccine in India, has already begun its talk with hospitals and manufacturing partners, and especially the government to make the vaccine available on CoWIN app as an option. 

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Dr Reddy’s statement said, “This week, component 1 of Sputnik V (or Sputnik Light) was approved for administration at private centres as the precaution dose for those who received Sputnik V as their primary vaccine. Having now received official confirmation of the approval, we are working with manufacturing partners in India...”

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The Supreme Court of India had earlier this week asked the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to decide on a person’s request to change the COVDI-19 policy to allow voluntary re-vaccination of people who had received the Sputnik V vaccine and wanted to travel abroad, reported by Times Now.

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In February of this year, Sputnik Light acquired an Emergency Use Authorisation from the Drugs Controller general of India (DGCI). Sputnik’s V two dosages are separated by the duration of 21 to 30 days and have different formulations. The booster ‘light’ jab on the other hand, is some what identical to the standard edition’s initial dose.

(With inputs from agencies)