The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 announced on Friday that 190,000 doses of Component 2 Sputnik V vaccines are expected to arrive this month.
According to a presser by the Office of the Presidential Peace Process, the doses will arrive either this weekend or early next week
NTF chief implementor Carlito Galvez, Jr. said in an online address that once the vaccines have arrived, they will be given to those who still have yet to receive their second dose because of several delivery delays. The delays were previously attributed to large worldwide demand and the vaccine manufacturer’s struggle to keep up with demand.
“This shipment of Sputnik V vaccines shall be used for the second dose. After this, we will be receiving the single-shot Sputnik V Light as we move forward with our vaccine rollout,” Galvez said.
Galvez assured that those who have not yet received their second doses should not worry, as the health department declared that the interval between first and second doses may be up to six months.
“As per our vaccine experts from the Department of Health, the gap between first and second doses of Sputnik V can be as long as six months, so no need to worry because the vaccines are arriving soon,” he added.
In Puerto Princesa City, at least 5,000 individuals have been waiting for their second dose. The last batch of inoculations happened in late June to early July according to records by the Puerto Princesa City CoVac.
Galvez added the country also expects to receive 1 million doses of Sputnik V Light this month, a variation of the vaccine that only needs one dose instead of two.
“The Sputnik V Light is more efficient because we will be able to protect more people faster. This would eliminate the problem wherein people fail to return for their second dose,” he added.
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