Venezuela approves Russia's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine

An employee demonstrates samples of Sputnik Light COVID vaccine
An employee demonstrates samples of Sputnik Light vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, in this still image taken from video released May 6, 2021 by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW, May 15 (Reuters) - Venezuela has approved for use Russia's single-shot Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said on Saturday.

Developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, the slimmed-down vaccine, which the RDIF says is 79.4% effective against COVID-19 and costs under $10 a dose, has been earmarked for export and has been billed as a way to help vaccine supplies go further in countries with high infection rates. read more

Approval of the shot by Venezuela follows successful use of the two-dose Sputnik V vaccine in the country and "will help accelerate the vaccination" campaign, said Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the RDIF, which is responsible for marketing the vaccine abroad.

Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova. Editing by Mark Potter

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