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Sputnik V: How Does This COVID-19 Vaccine Works And Who All Can Take The Jab

Sputnik V: How Does This COVID-19 Vaccine Works And Who All Can Take The Jab

Amid a steep surge in the COVID-19 infection cases in the country, the DGCI has approved the emergency use of Sputnik-V. Here is a brief about who all can take the jab and who all should avoid taking it.

Written by Satata Karmakar |Updated : April 15, 2021 12:23 PM IST

India is currently witnessing a tremendous surge in the number of coronavirus cases. The country which was experiencing a dip in the daily cases is back on the track with an increase in the active cases from across the corner. Amid this huge spike, the country has fast-tracked emergency use approval for eligible foreign-produced shots against COVID-19, in a move to expand its basket of vaccines to speed up the inoculation drive that got a boost with a third vaccine Sputnik V from Russia getting clearance.

A day after the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical major Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) announces it has received permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to import Sputnik V vaccine in India for restricted use in emergencies,here are a few things that you need to know about the Covid-19 jab - Who all should take the vaccine jab? Who all should avoid taking the dose? What are the probable after-effects/ side effects of Sputnik V. Let's discuss more about this vaccine?

Sputnik V Everything To Know

After Covishield and Covaxin, Sputnik V, developed by Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, is now the third Covid-19 vaccine to get emergency use approval in India. but there are a few guidelines that one should know and definitely maintain before getting the vaccine jab once it is available in the Indian market.

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Sputnik V Who All Should Take The Vaccine Jab?

The vaccine makers have clearly said that the vaccine takers should understand and follow the guidelines properly before taking he jab. Here's what to know

1. The vaccine is indicated for active immunization to prevent Covid-19 in individuals more than 18 years old.

2. One needs to store the vaccine doses at minus 18-degree Celsius in its liquid form.

3. However, it can be stored at 2-8 degrees C in its freeze-dried form in a conventional refrigerator, making it easier to transport and store.

What Is The Efficacy Of This Vaccine?

In a recent study, published in the journal The Lancet, the efficacy of Sputnik V was determined to be 91.6 per cent. "There is a need to generate evidence about its efficacy in the Indian population. Sputnik V will provide one more option to the country to boost its vaccination drive," Harshal R Salve, Associate Professor at Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS),New Delhi, told the media.

What Is The Appropriate Dose Of Sputnik V?

According to Neha Gupta, Infectious Diseases Specialist at Medanta - The Medicity, Gurgaon, Sputnik V is a viral vectored vaccine and is likely to perform similar to Covishield. The experts say that the vaccine should be administered in two doses of 0.5 ml each with an interval of 21 days.

What Is The Composition Of Sputnik V

While talking to IANS, Indian Council of Medical Research's N.K. Arora said that the composition of the first dose will be different from the second dose and there should be at least a three to four weeks gap between the first dose and the second.

Some of the common ingredients of the Sputnik V vaccine are:

  1. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane
  2. Sodium chloride
  3. Sucrose
  4. Magnesium chloride hexahydrate
  5. Disodium EDTA dihydrate (buffer)
  6. Polysorbate 80
  7. Ethanol 95%
  8. Water

Sputnik V is approved to tackle Covid-19 in 60 countries across the world, including ranking second among Covid-19 vaccines globally in terms of the number of approvals issued by the government regulators. The emergency approval for Sputnik V comes amid reports of vaccine shortage in some states even as cases have increased dramatically over the past few days.

Is Sputnik V Safe Here's What To Know

In the trial period, all those who were given the vaccine jab developed SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. According to the reports, no serious adverse events were detected. However, some of the side effects that were registered were mild, with just over half experiencing pain at the injection site. The experts said that there were no reports of severe side effects among people who were given the Sputnik V dose.

Who All Should Avoid Taking The Vaccine Doses And Who All Should Take It?

Like all other COVID-19 vaccines, Sputnik V should be taken by only those who are not allergic to any of the ingredients of these vaccines. The Ingredients that we have already discussed above. Also, anyone who is suffering from any underlying diseases must not take the jab.

India's Third Phase Of Inoculation Against Coronavirus

On Monday, the Union Health Ministry said that nearly 30 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine were given on Day 1 of the "Tika Utsav" which has pushed the cumulative coverage to 10.45 crore, as India's average doses per day crossed the 40 lakh mark, continuing to be the highest globally.

In terms of the number of cases, India reported 1,84,372 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, setting another grim one-day record, taking the overall tally to 13,87,825 on Wednesday.