COVID-19 vaccine comparison: Know all about Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V ahead of vaccination

NEW DELHI: The Niti Aayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul on Thursday (May 13, 2021) outlined the central government’s plan which involved a total of eight COVID-19 vaccines that will help India authorities inoculate all its citizens by the end of 2021. 

The Centre has given a push to increase vaccine manufacturing and has issued emergency use authorisation to Biological E, Zydus Cadila, Serum Institute of India for Novavax, Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine, Gennova and Sputnik V.

But for the time being, there will be three options available for the Indian citizens from the upcoming week. These options include Russia’s Sputnik V, Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine- Covishiled and Serum institute of India’s Covaxin.

Sputnik V is an adenovirus-based vaccine that is being used by Russia for mass vaccination and has been approved by over 59 countries around the globe. 

Sputnik V is also known as Gam-Covid-Vac. This Russian vaccine is a combination of two different adenoviruses (Ad26 and Ad5), which are the viruses that cause common cold. These adenoviruses are combined with SARS-CoV-2 for the treatment, which prompts the body to make an immune response to it.

Additionally, Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine shares its name with the world’s first artificial satellite made by Russia.