Russia's single-dose Sputnik Light Covid vaccine okayed in Mauritius

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) on Wednesday announced the approval of the Russian single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine by the Mauritius Health Ministry.

According to a statement by the RDIF, Sputnik Light is the first component of the Sputnik V vaccine. Sputnik Light has demonstrated 79.4 per cent efficacy according to analyzed data taken from 28 days after the injection was administered.

The data was obtained from Russians vaccinated with a single injection, having not received the second one for any reason during the mass vaccination program between December 5, 2020 and April 15 this year.

Mauritius had approved the use of Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use authorisation in March.

"Authorization of Sputnik Light will add a safe and effective COVID vaccine to Mauritius's national portfolio. The vaccine is created on a proven adenoviral vectors platform and enables vaccination of large populations groups more quickly thus creating a herd immunity in a short period," said Kirill Dmitriev, RDIF CEO.

Earlier, Sputnik Light vaccine was also approved for use in the Palestinian territories, according to RDIF.

In a statement on Monday, the RDIF announced the approval of the Russian single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine against coronavirus by the Ministry of Health of the State of Palestine.

The Sputnik Light vaccine has received authorization for use in Russia, according to the Russian Ministry of Health, the Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the RDIF.

On February 21, the Gamaleya Center and RDIF launched a global efficacy study of Sputnik Light. The Phase III clinical study involving 7,000 people was conducted in multiple countries including Russia, the UAE and Ghana.

The RDIF said the Sputnik Light vaccine is based on a well-studied human adenoviral vector platform that has proven to be safe and effective. As of May 5, more than 20 million people globally have received the first injection of the Sputnik V vaccine, containing the first component.