Gov’t eyeing 20 M doses of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine

A vial labeled “Sputnik V Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine” and a syringe are seen in this illustration photo taken March 12, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — The national government is  expecting the delivery of 20 million doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute in the coming months which can be administered on senior citizens.

Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the government will likely sign a supply agreement for the Sputnik V vaccine this week.

“Ang ating ine-expect ay they will supply 20 million doses within the next four months,” he said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel on Tuesday.

Some 500,000 doses of the Russian jab will be delivered to the Philippines this month as part of a “mini rollout,” Galvez said.

The Sputnik V vaccine secured an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last Mar. 19.

Under its EUA, Galvez said the vaccine can be administered on senior citizens.

“Pwede po siyang gamitin po sa elderly, so from 18 and above. So yun po ang gagamitin namin at yun po ang maganda para at least in the absence of AstraZeneca, yun po ang pwede namin pong gamitin,” he said.

In the government’s vaccine rollout, the elderly are being immunized with the AstraZeneca vaccine since the CoronaVac vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac was initially not recommended for senior citizens.

But the Department of Health and the FDA eventually allowed the use of Sinovac’s jab on the elderly amid the vaccine shortage and the “growing need to protect seniors amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.”

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