Venezuela Receives 7Mln Sputnik V Doses in Biggest One-Time Global Russian Vaccine Delivery
© Sputnik / Alexandr Kryazhev
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The Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has been authorised in 71 countries with a total of four billion people, making up over 50% of the population on Earth.
Venezuela has received seven million doses of the Sputnik Light booster vaccine, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announced Tuesday, with the shipment marking the biggest one-time global delivery of the one-shot vaccine.
According to the RDIF, the international demand for Sputnik Light is increasing as more countries are using it as a standalone vaccine and a universal booster for other vaccines, including against the latest Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
"Sputnik Light booster is recommended to strengthen the efficacy of vaccines against Omicron. Heterologous boosting with Sputnik Light is the solution to strengthen and lengthen the quickly waning efficacy of many vaccines, including against Omicron, and extend the booster protection period", the RDIF notes.
BREAKING: Venezuela received 7 mln Sputnik Light doses in the biggest one-time global delivery of 1-shot vaccine to date. More countries are using Light as universal booster, effective against all SARS-COV-2 variants, including #Omicron
— Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) December 21, 2021
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The efficacy of Sputnik Light as a universal booster has been proven by data from other countries using it, the RDIF says, pointing to Argentina as an example. In the Latin American country, a combination of Sputnik Light with other vaccines has demonstrated its effectiveness as a universal booster inducing stronger antibody and T-cell response compared to a two-shot homologous regimen.
"Data from the Ministry of Health of Buenos Aires (Argentina) has demonstrated standalone efficacy of Sputnik Light between 78.6-83.7% among the elderly (over 40,000 people of 60-79 years old), which is higher than that of many two-dose vaccines", the RDIF notes.
According to the RDIF, the one-shot Sputnik Light vaccine has 70% efficacy against infection from the Delta variant of the coronavirus in the first three months after a standalone vaccination, with the rate rising to 83% when used as a booster shot.
In mid-December, the director of Russia's Gamaleya Research Centre behind the Sputnik vaccine said that a full vaccination procedure in a study on a large number of people will give more than 83% protection against Omicron.
The Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has been authorised in 71 countries with a total of four billion people, which makes up over 50% of the population on Earth.
