Covid-19: several European countries will produce the Russian vaccine Sputnik V

A dose of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V. AP - Pavel Golovkin

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This is a first in the European Union: to speed up vaccination, the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, which is estimated to be nearly 92% effective, will be produced in certain European countries.

For the moment, France does not have the means because all its production capacities are saturated with other vaccines.

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The announcement comes from the Russian sovereign wealth fund RDIF [Russian Direct Investment Fund] which has already concluded a commercial agreement with a Swiss laboratory.

This fund announced that it had signed contracts for

the production of the Sputnik V vaccine

in factories in Italy, Germany and Spain.

Rome announced on Tuesday March 9 that it would start producing the Russian vaccine from July.

"Ten million doses will be produced between July 1 and January 1, 2022", announced yesterday the Italian-Russian Chamber of Commerce, specifying that it was "the first agreement at European level for the production on the territory of the 'EU Sputnik Vaccine'.

The Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) last week began examining this new vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Institute, with a view to possible approval in Europe.

Russian authorities have said they are ready to provide vaccines to 50 million Europeans from June. 

This validation process is not without a hitch, however, Russia having strongly denounced Tuesday the remarks of an official of the AEM, who compared the emergency authorization of the Sputnik V vaccine by certain European countries to "Russian roulette". ".

► See also: Vaccine against Covid-19: Sputnik V attacked, Moscow defends itself

France not concerned

France, also asked to produce this vaccine, declined the proposal.

" 

In the short term, all French production capacities are saturated with other vaccines,

 " said an official from the Ministry of the Economy. 

Failing to have found its own vaccine, France will produce those of Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

The latter awaits its European approval, which could take place this week.

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  • Coronavirus

  • European Union

  • France

  • Russia

  • Health and medicine

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