Argentina threatens to cancel deal for Sputnik vaccine as Russia fails to deliver

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Argentina threatens to cancel deal for Sputnik vaccine as Russia fails to deliver

Moscow owes 18.5m doses, leaving Argentina in a ‘very critical situation’ with only 12% fully vaccinated, leaked letter reveals

Uki Goñi in Buenos Aires
Thu 22 Jul 2021 19.39 BST

Argentina’s gamble on Sputnik V vaccine has left it in a “very critical situation” because of Russia’s failure to fulfill delivery commitments, according to an official letter to Moscow leaked on Thursday.

Russia owes Argentina 18.5m doses of its Sputnik V jab, over two-thirds of them vital second-component doses.

Only 12% of Argentinians are fully vaccinated so far, partly due to failed Sputnik deliveries of its second component. Another 37% have received only a single dose.

This compares disastrously with double-dose vaccination rates of over 60% in neighbouring Chile and Uruguay, countries that did not bet so heavily on the Russian vaccine.

Its low two-dose vaccination rate leaves Argentina particularly exposed to the arrival of the Delta variant. Neighbouring Uruguay, meanwhile, has already approved moving to a three-dose regimen.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/jul/22/argentina-sputnik-vaccine-russia-fails-to-deliver

[BigmanPigman]

1. I wouldn't look at Russia's Covid cases as a shing example

of success. They are in their 3rd wave and the number of deaths are huge. Most countries have high new cases but low new deaths. Not Russia though.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/russia/

[peppertree]

2. No doubt. The problem is that Argentina has 9.4 mln Sputnik 1st doses - but only 2.5 mln 2nd doses

The two doses each use different adenovirus vectors, which limits them to using the specific 2nd dose as a 2nd dose.

Argentina now has 70% of adults with their 1st dose - but only 18% with their second dose, partly as a result of this delay.

(children aren't yet being vaccinated - though that will now change: https://democraticunderground.com/114226087)

They've also diversified their vaccine supply considerably since May, and Sputnik V (which made up over 60% of the supply back then) is now less than 30% of the total.

Neighboring Chile, on the other hand, is still 79% dependent on Sinovac's Coronavac (private Chinese firm) - one of the least affective on the market; Brazil and Uruguay have a similar problem.

You'll notice that when Chile and Uruguay are lauded for their "high vaccination rate" - that caveat usually gets left out.