The local use of the new single-dose vaccine of Russian pharmaceutical firm Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology could boost the country’s chances of achieving population protection before the end of the year, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr.
In an online news briefing on Monday, Galvez announced the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Gamaleya’s Sputnik Light vaccine, which would allow the jab to be locally used.
Sputnik Light immediately provides protection its its recipients against Covid-19 with a single dose, compared to Gamaleya’s other vaccine product, Sputnik V, which requires two doses to achieve a similar effect.
Aside from Sputnik Light, FDA had already issued an EUA to another single-shot Covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.
Galvez said they would follow their order for the delivery of 10 million doses of Sputnik Light.
“This means 10 million [people] will get full protection [against Covid-19] since Sputnik Light is one dose,” Galvez explained.
He said this would be more convenient compared to most of the two-shot Covid-19 vaccines brands, which the government is administering.
Vaccine procurement
As of Monday, Galvez said the country already secured the commitment from vaccine manufacturers for over 170 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines.
Of which, around 100 million doses were procured by the national government, while 44 million doses were donated by the Vaccines Global Access (Covax) facility.
Another 24 million doses were purchased by private sector and local government units, while 4 million were donated by three countries.
Galvez reported over 42.4 million doses already arrived in the said commitments in the country as of Aug. 15, 2021.
Last Monday, 30.3 million of the said doses were already administered.
The government is aiming to achieve “population protection” before the end of the year by vaccinating 50 million to 70 million of the country’s adult population.
Under population protection, people who are most vulnerable to Covid-19, which include health-care workers, senior citizens, and those with comorbidities will be fully vaccinated.