The Philippines is looking into the possibility of mixing two different brands of 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) vaccine.
National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. brought up the possibility since the Gamaleya Research Institute in Russia experiences logistics issues that could delay the arrival of the second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V in the Philippines.
Galvez said on Wednesday, August 12, that the Philippines could use the COVID-19 vaccine made by United Kingdom - based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca as second dose for people who received an initial shot of Sputnik V.
Philippines expects to receive 15,000 doses of Sputnik V on Friday, August 13.
"I think there is a challenge on the production of Component No. 2 and, considering also, that they are supplying more or less 50 countries," Galvez, who also serves vaccine czar of the Philippines, told reporters during the arrival of more than 800,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses made by American company Pfizer.
Department of Health (DOH) Sec. Francisco Duque III guaranteed the safeness of mixing the two COVID-19 vaccine brands since both uses an adenovirus vaccine vector.
"Safety-wise, walang problema," Duque assured.
