The single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light was approved for emergency usage in India by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Sunday, 6 February.
This information was shared through Twitter by Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union health minister of India.
What is Sputnik Light? How effective is it against COVID-19? How many countries are using it? Here is all you need to know:
What is Sputnik Light?
Sputnik Light is a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, which has similar components to the two-dose Sputnik V vaccine manufactured in Russia.
How effective is Sputnik Light against COVID-19?
According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), latest studies conducted on 28,000 people in Moscow by the Gamaleya Center, establishes that Sputnik Light has:
70 percent efficacy against Delta variant.
75 percent efficacy in people aged less than 60.
How is Sputnik Light different from Sputnik V?
Even though the components of the two vaccines are similar, their functioning is different:
Sputnik V: Targets immune cells to induce antibody production.
Sputnik Light: Uses the recombinant human adenovirus for transporting information into the immune system.
How many countries are using Sputnik Light?
Sputnik Light is registered in 30 countries so far.
Where will it be manufactured?
The vaccines are developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in association with the RDIF.
In India, the RDIF has collaborated with Dr Reddy's Laboratories based in Hyderabad for distribution of the vaccine.
Is Sputnik effective against Omicron variant?
According to a study conducted by a joint team of Russian and Italian researchers at Italian Spallanzani Institute, Sputnik V induces two times more virus-neutralising antibodies against Omicron when compared to double dose of Pfizer vaccine.
Which COVID-19 vaccines are approved in India so far?
The following COVID-19 vaccines are approved in India so far:
Sputnik Light (single dose)
Sputnik V
Covaxin
Covishield
Corbevax
Covovax
ZyCov-D
Johnson and Johnson (single dose)
(With inputs from News 18, Economic Times, and India Today.)
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