Gov’t eyes repeat vaccinations with other brands for Sputnik V 1st dose vaccinees

(FILE) The arrival of a recent shipment of Sputnik V vaccine doses. Screenshot from PTV

MANILA, Philippines — The government is looking at administering COVID-19 vaccine full doses from other brands on vaccinees who received the Sputnik V vaccine as the first dose, the chief of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday.

Earlier, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the AstraZeneca vaccine may be used as the second dose for those who have received the first jab of the Sputnik V vaccine if the arrival into the country of the Russian-made vaccine as second doses will be delayed.

FDA Director-General Eric Domingo said the government is considering this option, but added that another option will be  just to repeat the complete full vaccination doses with another brand of vaccine.

“Isa po ‘yan sa mga kinoconsider, either another brand [as second dose] or talagang babakunahan with another brand ng complete doses ulit,” he told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

(That is one of the things being considered. Either we will administer another brand as a second dose, or we will use complete doses from another brand.)

Domingo said the government is following up with the supplier of the Sputnik V vaccines for the second dose. He said the public should not worry if the second dose of the vaccine is further delayed, assuring that the government has “contingency plans.”

Unlike other vaccines, Sputnik’s two-dose regimen has specified components for the first and second doses.

The recommended interval for the two Sputnik V jabs is 21 days. However, the Department of Health said the second dose of the vaccine is allowed to be delayed up to 90 days after the first jab.

On August 13, some 15,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine for the second component arrived in the country. The last Sputnik V shipments comprising 132,200 and 37,800 doses arrived on July 9 and 10, respectively.

/MUF