Six-month interval allowed for delayed 2nd dose of COVID vaccines, says DOH

A frontliner belonging to the A1 priority group receives a COVID-19 vaccine. (File photo from the City of San Fernando Information Office)

MANILA, Philippines — Vaccine recipients who missed their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine may not repeat their first dose if they can get the second shot within six months after their first jab, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the DOH met with members of its All Experts Groups last week to discuss the acceptable interval for two doses of different vaccines.

“Accordingly sinabi na rin ng ating mga eksperto, hanggang mga anim na buwan hindi mo pa rin kailangang magrepeat ng series, you can still give the second dose of the vaccine,” she told an online media briefing.

(Our experts have said that until six months, you may not repeat the series and still give the second dose of the vaccine.)

Vergeire said the vaccine experts also presented recommended intervals for various types of vaccine brands.

She said that the experts, citing the United States’ Centers for Disease Control, noted that the delayed second dose of vaccines from American brands Pfizer and Moderna can be given up to 42 days after the first shot. The prescribed interval for two doses of Pfizer vaccine is originally 21 days, while for Moderna, the normal interval is 28 days.

She said that for Sinovac, experts did not provide an acceptable delayed interval but noted that the second dose should be provided as soon as possible if the recipient misses the prescribed interval of 28 days.

Meanwhile, the second dose of Sputnik V from Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute can be given up to 90 days after the first shot. The recommended interval for two jabs of Sputnik V is 21 days.

“These are the presentations of our all experts group coming from our vaccine experts,” said Vergeire.

The DOH has yet to provide the specific allowable interval for other vaccine brands.

Vergeire noted that there are valid reasons why some vaccine recipients miss on their second shot, such as being sick for COVID-19 or being required to undergo quarantine.

She said, however, that vaccine recipients should get their second dose within the recommended interval as much as possible.

EDV