Russia’s Sputnik V is the third coronavirus vaccine to be approved by Pakistan
Russia’s Sputnik V has become the third COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by Pakistan for emergency use. The other two vaccines approved earlier are China’s Sinopharm and the Oxford-AstraZeneca one.
“Sputnik has received the emergency use authorization,” Pakistan’s health minister Dr Faisal Sultan confirmed on Tuesday,
The efficacy of Sputnik V against the coronavirus is reported to be 91.6% and it is one of the three vaccines in the world with an efficacy of over 90% along with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
The Russian vaccine is administered in two shots, three weeks apart. It can be stored in fridge temperatures, making the storage and delivery of vaccines easier.
“Pakistan is one of the most populated countries in the world, and the decision to include Sputnik V in the national vaccine portfolio is an important step to diversify it and protect people’s health. Emergency use authorization of Sputnik V has become possible thanks to its high efficacy, safety and a well-researched platform of human adenoviral vectors” said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, the organization that has funded the Sputnik V development.
Which countries have approved Sputnik V?
Pakistan is the 22nd country in the world to approve Sputnik V. Other countries that have registered Sputnik V include UAE, Belarus, Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia, Algeria, Palestine, Venezuela, Paraguay, Turkmenistan, Hungary, UAE, Iran, Republic of Guinea, Tunisia, Armenia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Republika Srpska (entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina), Lebanon, Myanmar and Russia.
Sputnik V
- The efficacy of Sputnik V is 91.6% making it one of the only three vaccines with over 90% efficacy.
- It is a two-dose vaccine administered 21 days apart.
- Sputnik V developers vaccine are working with AstraZeneca on a joint clinical trial to improve the efficacy.