2 hospitals roll out Sputnik V in Delhi-NCR; over 3,000 vaccinated

Private hospital chains Fortis Healthcare and Apollo Hospitals have started administering Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V at two of their hospitals in Delhi-NCR, officials said on Thursday.

Indraprastha Apollo in Delhi started administering Sputnik V in a staged manner from Wednesday.

Around 1,000 people have been vaccinated so far, a hospital spokesperson said.

"On-the-spot registration and walk-in facility for Sputnik V is currently restricted, we are encouraging beneficiaries to take appointments through the CoWin app," the official said.

According to a Fortis Healthcare official, the hospital chain started providing Sputnik V jabs last week at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram and Fortis Hospital, Mohali.

"In order to accelerate the vaccination drive, we are introducing the vaccine at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Jaipur from Friday. We have received a good response and a total of 2,193 people have been vaccinated till now," he said.

The official said Fortis Healthcare has received fresh supplies of Sputnik V which will help it ramp up the inoculation drive.

A hospital source said there had been some delay in vaccine supply and it could be linked to the increase in cases in Russia.

The country has started a large-scale vaccination drive for its population.

Fortis Healthcare had earlier announced that it will start administering the two-dose Russian vaccine at its Gurugram and Mohali facilities from June 19.

An official of Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital in Delhi said the hospital will receive Sputnik V doses from Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories, the marketing partner for the vaccine in India, in three to four days.

Sputnik V uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans.

The two doses, given 21 days apart, are different and not interchangeable.

The Centre has fixed the price of the vaccine at Rs 1,145 per dose.

The maximum price of Covishield for private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been fixed at Rs 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin is Rs 1,410 per dose.

Russia's Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology has developed the vaccine and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is marketing it globally.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories has been importing the shots from Russia. Over a period of time, the vaccine is also going to be manufactured in India.

According to Gamaleya and the RDIF, Sputnik V has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 92 per cent.