The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved on Monday the emergency use authorization (EUA) for Russia's single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine.
This makes the Philippines one of the countries in Asia to approve the single-dose jab.
"I would like to announce that the EUA for Sputnik Light vaccine na one-dose ay naaprubahan na ng FDA," vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said in a statement.
"Full protection na itong Sputnik Light, like Johnson and Johnson na single dose," he added.
Emergency use authorization ng single-dose COVID-19 vaccine na Sputnik Light, aprubado na ng @FDAPhilippines@ntfcovid19ph chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr.: I would like to announce that the EUA for Sputnik Light vaccine na one-dose ay naaprubahan na ng FDA. | @dzrhnews
— Jecelle Ricafort (@JecelleRicafort) August 23, 2021
The government expects vaccine manufacturers to increase deliveries in September and October, Galvez said.
According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Sputnik Light showed a 79.4 percent efficacy rate compared with 91.6 percent for the two-shot Sputnik V.
Mongolia and Kazakhstan have approved Sputnik Light, developed by Russia's Gamaleya Institute.
Sputnik Light is the ninth COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Philippines, along with vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and China's Sinovac and Sinopharm.
