Covid-19 vaccine: Sputnik V to be available in India from next week

Russia's Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V will be available in the market from next week, according to the Centre.

"Sputnik vaccine has arrived in India. I'm happy to say that we're hopeful that it'll be available in the market next week. We're hopeful that the sale of the limited supply that has come from there (Russia), will begin next week," Dr VK Paul, a member (Health), NITI Aayog, told ANI.

"Two billion doses (216 crore) will be made in the country in five months for India and for people of India. Vaccine will be available for all as we move forward," he said, adding by the first quarter of the next year, the number is likely to be three billion.

He estimated that between August to December, production of 75 crore doses of Covishield is estimated, while 55 cores doses of Covaxin will be made available.

Further, Biological E is expected to produce 30 crore doses, Zydus Cadila 5 crore, Serum Institute of India 20 crore doses of Novavax, and Bharat Biotech 10 crore doses of its nasal vaccine, while Gennova will make available 6 crore doses and Sputnik V 15.6 crore doses.

With PTI inputs