Pablo Sigal
09/09/2021 11:52
Clarín.com
Society
Updated 09/09/2021 12:07
The gap of
6.5 million doses
that currently exist between the first and second applied components of Sputnik V may begin to narrow after the release of
760 thousand units
produced by the Richmond laboratory in Argentina.
Pharmaceutical sources confirmed to
Clarín
that the delivery will take place in the next few hours.
This occurs after the approval of the Gamaleya Institute of Russia and the subsequent approval of the ANMAT.
Richmond will deliver this new batch to the Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, to be distributed in the provinces.
It would be a minimum of 760 thousand, but at the last minute a
few more doses
could be added
.
It was originally scheduled to happen
this afternoon
.
According to official data, so far Richmond had managed to release
702,500
doses of component 2 and
1,179,625
of one.
Now, production is focusing almost entirely on the
second doses
, since it is the greatest need of the vaccination campaign.
Laboratory sources reported that so far
4.6 million
doses of component 2 and
1.6 million of component 1
have been manufactured
.
Almost
2.9 million
second components and, also, 460 thousand of component 1
remain pending approval
.
The vaccine approval mechanism completed by Richmond in Argentina generates, on the one hand, tranquility in terms
of quality control
of what is produced, but on the other hand, it slows down
the final stretch
to make the use of vaccines effective.
It takes several weeks for the stock to run out and for approval.
Vizzotti received the first 100,620 doses of Pfizer on Wednesday.
Photo: Ministry of Health
For this reason, between the laboratory and the Government they are working to try to
skip the Russian stop
and concentrate the control of everything manufactured through the ANMAT.
This is expected to speed up the delivery of doses that are finalized but
not released
.
Richmond
receives the antigen from Russia
and at the local plant the process is carried out, which ends with the vials ready, to be distributed in the country.
Meanwhile, the company is
building a plant
in Pilar to be able to start manufacturing the active ingredient in Argentina and
not have to depend
on Russian shipments.
Worse, it wouldn't be finished until the end of next year.
For Russia, on the other hand, it is easier to send the antigen than the finished vaccines, since
the priority of the second doses is
the Russian citizens.
For this reason, not only in Argentina, but also in other countries, there are agreements so that the doses can finish their process in the place where they are going to be used.
In addition to these doses of Sputnik V, part of the Pfizer doses that arrive during September will also be used to complete schedules of vaccinated with first doses of Sputnik.
This Wednesday the first 100,000 doses arrived and for the rest of the month another
480,000
are expected
, part of a contract for
20 million vaccines
that would arrive from here by the end of the year.
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