Arthur Greene
Russia’s Covid vaccine – Sputnik V – is gaining the reputation for being a top contender in the vaccine race.
It could soon be accepted across the European Union after Russia signed a deal with Italy to produce its Sputnik V vaccine.
This comes a month after the African Union announced that it had secured 300 million doses of the vaccine.
Ten million doses of the vaccine are set to be produced in Italy from July until the end of the year after a deal was struck between Adienne, an Italian-Swiss pharmaceutical company and the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
Thomas Mertens, head of Germany’s regulatory authority, publicly praised the Sputnik V jab on Wednesday, describing it as a good vaccine that will presumably also be approved in the EU at some point.
Russia had previously received criticism from Europe for approving Sputnik V for widespread use after less than two months of human testing.
However, Mertens told the Rheinische Post that Russian scientists were experienced in vaccines.
“Sputnik V is a very clever construct,” he said.
A study published in February found the vaccine to be safe and that it offers about 92% protection against Covid-19.
The Russian Federation said some deliveries could start in May but most would be from June.
In a statement in February, John Nkengasong, director of the AU’s disease control body, said
“we are proud to be able to offer [the Sputnik V vaccines] to our AU Member States”.
The South African government is still unsure of the vaccine’s efficacy against the dominant variant in South Africa.
South Africa’s health ministry said Sputnik V’s manufacturers had submitted documentation to the local medicines regulator for registration.
Picture source: @rababalouii
