MANILA, Philippines — The government’s vaccine experts have recommended increasing the interval between the two doses of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine from 21 days to 42 days, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director-General Eric Domingo said early Wednesday during the taped briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Domingo said the Gamaleya Institute of Russia, the manufacturer of Sputnik V, had sought to increase the interval between vaccine doses of up to 90 days by applying for an amendment of its emergency use authorization (EUA).
However, after studying the data, the country’s vaccines experts panel only recommended a maximum interval of 42 days.
“There’s really no problem. That means that, if the second dose is delayed, but if we give it within 42 days, we have enough reason to believe that the results are all to be very good,” Domingo said, speaking partly in Filipino.
The FDA has yet to issue the amendment of Sputnik V’s EUA.
Domingo urged the public to still get their second dose of the vaccine even if they get it a little late.
“It’s still worth it to get the second dose because it will improve and increase your resistance to COVID-19,” he said.