… As Deputy Minister says Russia can produce up to 2bn COVID-19 vaccines annually***
The first consignment of COVID-19 vaccine developed by the U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, is expected to reach Germany this week, according to a spokesperson for the Health Ministry in Berlin.
“We are expecting the first delivery from Monday,’’ the spokesperson confirmed on Sunday, two days after Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said that 1.4 million doses were due to arrive.
The Novavax vaccine is a significant development in the fight against the coronavirus, unlike the Biontech/Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
“This is not an mRNA vaccine.
Instead, it is based on the classic vaccine model, with its virus-like particles containing the spike protein of the Coronavirus and an effect enhancer.
“The so-called messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in the mRNA vaccines delivers part of the virus’s genetic information to the human cells.
With this, cells produce a protein of the pathogen, from which the body then develops immunity,” the spokesperson said.
The Novavax vaccine is to be distributed among Germany’s different states, each of which will decide when to begin administering it.
Some states have already announced that they would begin vaccinations with the new drug in the first week of March.
The hope is that the Novavax vaccine would help boost vaccination rates by providing an alternative for those who have reservations about mRNA vaccines.
However, whether it will have a broader impact on the battle against the coronavirus in Germany is unclear.
In the same vein, Russia is capable of churning out up to two billion COVID-19 vaccine doses per year, which is enough to meet any potential demand.
Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Vasiliy Osmakov said on Monday.
“This includes approximately 1.2 to 1.3 billion doses of Sputnik Light and 600 million doses of Sputnik V, and the rest of vaccines account for 100 million doses,” he said.
Osmakov explained that a stock of vaccines has been formed in Russian regions, which makes it possible to ensure an irreducible rate of vaccination of the population, even in the event of their possible increase by several times.
The deputy minister said production volume has now been reduced by all manufacturers, at the same time they are fully prepared to produce medicine in any required volumes.
Sputnik V was Russia’s and the world’s pioneer COVID-19 vaccine, registered in August 2020.
The two-dose vaccine has a single-dose version, Sputnik Light and a version for teenagers, Sputnik M.
Russia also produces three other COVID-19 vaccines, including Covivac, EpiVacCorona and EpiVacCorona N.
