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Updated 1 December 2021
The Russian Sputnik vaccine has been one of the front-runners from the start of the COVID-19 vaccine race. By now, it has been approved in 74 different countries and is being distributed across the globe. It has also come to the aid of several low and middle-income countries through the COVAX agreement.
Keep reading to find out where the Sputnik vaccine has been approved.
About Sputnik V
The Sputnik V is an adenovirus-based vector vaccine administered in two doses 28 days apart.
Without getting too technical, a vector is an engineered virus without the ability to replicate or multiply. When the vector containing the coronavirus gene is injected into the human body, it triggers a surge of coronavirus spike proteins without actually infecting the body. The body’s immune system then gears into high alert, making it capable of developing an immunity to the virus.
The first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine utilizes adenovirus 26 as the vector for the coronavirus surface protein, while the second dose uses adenovirus 5.
While there are other adenovirus-based vaccines on the market today, Gamaleya, Sputnik V manufacturer, claims that theirs is the only vaccine utilizing the two-vector vaccination system. This means, unlike other double dose vaccines, each dose of Sputnik V is different.
WHO approval
The WHO is yet to approve the Sputnik V vaccine.
As per the “Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process” document released by the WHO on 15 July, the rolling submission of the vaccine’s clinical and CMC data has started. The anticipated date will be set once all the required data is submitted and the follow-up of inspection observations is completed.
WHO has stated that the Emergency Use Listing process for Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is currently on hold due to a few legal procedures and missing data but the listing process will be completed soon.
For COVID-19 vaccines, the UN’s health branch has set the bar for minimum efficacy at 50% in its considerations for evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines. So far, the WHO has also approved:
- Pfizer/BioNTech: Comirnaty
- Oxford/AstraZeneca: Vaxzevria
- Johnson & Johnson: Ad26.COV2.S
- Moderna: mRNA-1273
- Sinopharm: BBIBP-CorV
- Sinovac: CoronaVac
- Covishield: Oxford/ AstraZeneca formulation
- Covaxin: Bharat Biotech BBV152
EMA approval
The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) conducts a rolling review of the clinical trial data of the vaccines. Only after it decides that enough evidence is available can the developer apply for marketing authorization.
As per the official website of the EMA, Sputnik V is currently under this review.
Sputnik V approved countries
Albania
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinovac.
Algeria
The other vaccines approved in the country are AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Angola
The other vaccines approved in the country are AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Sputnik Light.
Antigua and Barbuda
The other vaccine approved in the country is Covishield.
Argentina
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, CanSino, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Moderna, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Armenia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
Azerbaijan
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinovac.
Bahrain
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Janssen, Sputnik Light, Sinopharm, and Covishield.
Bangladesh
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Covishield, Sinopharm, Sinovac, and Janssen.
Belarus
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light and Sinopharm.
Bolivia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Janssen, Sinopharm and Covishield.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Brazil
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Cambodia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Cameroon
The other vaccine approved in the country is Sinopharm.
Chile
The other vaccine approved in the country is Pfizer, CanSino, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
Djibouti
Sputnik is the only vaccine approved in the country.
Ecuador
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, CanSino, AstraZeneca, and Sinovac.
Egypt
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Gabon
The other vaccine approved in the country is Sinopharm.
Ghana
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Covishield.
Guatemala
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna and AstraZeneca.
Guinea
Sputnik is the only vaccine approved in the country.
Guyana
The other vaccines approved in the country are Covaxin, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
Honduras
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna and Covishield.
Hungary
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, CanSino, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Covishield, and Sinopharm.
India
The other vaccines approved in the country are Zydus Cadila, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Covaxin, and Moderna.
Indonesia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, CanSino, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac, RBD-Dimer and Novavax.
Iran
The other vaccines approved in the country are SpikoGen, Sputnik Light, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Covaxin, Sinopharm, and Shifa Pharmed Industrial Co’s COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccine.
Iraq
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
Jordan
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
Kazakhstan
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light, QazVac, and Sinovac.
Kenya
The other vaccines approved in the country is Moderna, Pfizer, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm.
Kyrgyzstan
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light, QazVac and Sinopharm.
Laos
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Lebanon
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Covishield, and Sinopharm.
Libya
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Janssen, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca.
Maldives
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Covishield, Janssen, and Sinopharm.
Mali
The other vaccine approved in the country is AstraZeneca.
Mauritius
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light, Covaxin, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
Mexico
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Sinopharm, Pfizer, CanSino, Janssen, Covaxin, AstraZeneca, and Sinovac.
Moldova
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Mongolia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Sputnik Light.
Montenegro
The other vaccine approved in the country is Sinopharm.
Morocco
The other vaccines approved in the country are AstraZeneca, Covishield, and Sinopharm.
Myanmar
The other vaccine approved in the country is Covishield.
Namibia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Covishield and Sinopharm.
Nepal
The other vaccines approved in the country are Covishield, Covaxin, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Nicaragua
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Abdala, Sputnik Light and Covishield.
Nigeria
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Covishield and Sinopharm.
North Macedonia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
Oman
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinovac.
Pakistan
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, CanSino, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Panama
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinovac.
Paraguay
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Covaxin, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Philippines
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Sputnik Light, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Covaxin, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Republic of the Congo
The other vaccine approved in the country is Sputnik Light and Sinopharm.
Russia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik Light, KoviVac, and EpiVacCorona.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Janssen, and Covishield.
San Marino
Sputnik is the only vaccine approved in the country.
Serbia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
Seychelles
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Sinopharm, and Covishield.
Slovakia
The other vaccines approved in the country are BioNTech, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca.
Sri Lanka
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Syria
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik and Covishield.
Tunisia
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Turkey
The other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer and Sinovac.
Turkmenistan
The other vaccine approved in the country is EpiVacCorona.
United Arab Emirates
The other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Sputnik Light, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
Uzbekistan
The other vaccines approved in the country are RBD-Dimer and AstraZeneca.
Venezuela
The other vaccines approved in the country are Abdala, Sputnik Light and Sinopharm.
The other vaccines approved in the country are Abdala, Moderna, Pfizer, Janssen, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm.
West Bank
The other vaccines approved in the country are Sinopharm, Moderna, Pfizer, and Sputnik Light.
Zimbabwe
The other vaccines approved in the country are Janssen, Covaxin, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Approved as valid proof of vaccination
The following are a list of countries that recognise the Sputnik V vaccine as valid proof of vaccination:
Cape Verde
The other vaccines recognised are Janssen, AstraZeneca, Moderna (Spikevax), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Sinopharm, Sinovac.
Croatia
The other vaccines recognised are Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca (including CoviShield).
Cyprus
The other vaccines recognised are Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria, Covishield, SKBio), Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Sinopharm, Sinovac.
Greece
The other vaccines recognised are Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm, Cansino Biologics.
Israel
The other vaccines recognised are Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Sinopharm, the Serum Institute of India, and Johnson and Johnson.
Rwanda
The other vaccines recognised are Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm.
Slovenia
The other vaccines recognised are Pfizer, Moderna, Sinovac, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Covishield.
About Sputnik Light
Sputnik Light is the single-dose variant of the original Russian vaccine.
It works on a design similar to that of Sputnik V, using recombinant human adenovirus to carry the code for spike proteins. Like the other one-off vaccine, Janssen, Sputnik Light is based on the human adenovirus serotype number 26.
The RDIF had earlier said that the Russian Sputnik Light Covid-19 vaccine demonstrates 78.6% to 83.7% efficacy among the elderly, as per real-world data collected by the Ministry of Health of the Buenos Aires province (Argentina). However, Gamaleya is yet to release scientific papers detailing the trial phase of the Sputnik Light vaccine and it is not yet clear as to how long the immunity from the vaccine lasts.
Sputnik Light was approved for emergency use in Russia in May 2021. Gamaleya is yet to apply for its WHO and EMA approvals.
Sputnik Light approved countries
The Sputnik Light vaccine has been approved in the following 21 nations so far:
- Angola
- Armenia
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Cambodia
- Egypt
- Iran
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Mauritius
- Mongolia
- Nicaragua
- Philippines
- Congo
- Russia
- San Marino
- UAE
- Tanzania
- Venezuela
- West Bank
