(file photo)

Following the delay in the delivery of Russian made Sputnik vaccine due to logistical reason, government and vaccine experts are mulling a “mix and match” strategy in the national Covid-19 vaccination program.

Secretary Carlito Galvez, the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF), on Wednesday, said the country’s vaccine experts panel and the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) are currently studying the possible mixing shots of Russia’s Sputnik V to AstraZeneca vaccines.

The vaccine experts have recommended a maximum dose interval of 42 days between the Sputnik V component I and component II.

“Nung nag-usap kami sa vaccine cluster kahapon, ang advice ng vaccine experts na once na mag-elapse yung 42 days pwedeng ibigay yung AstraZeneca as a second dose kasi pareho sila ng viral vector at parehong adenovirus ang ginagamit nila (We have discussed with vaccine cluster yesterday, the vaccine experts advise us that we can use AstraZeneca shot as the second dose, once the 42 days interval has elapsed since they both have the same vaccine viral vector and using adenovirus technology),” Galvez said in an interview during the ceremonial turnover of five modular hospital units at the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City.

Galvez said they are expecting a delivery of 15,000 doses of Sputnik V component II allocated as second doses. Although Sputnik V’s manufacturer Gamaleya Research Institute has informed them that they might experience some delays in deliveries because of logistics issues.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, meanwhile, said the recommendation of the vaccine experts to mix two different jabs with the same vaccine technology platform is “safety-wise.”

Duque said the mix and match strategy is applicable in vaccines with the same viral vector technology such as Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen–which are all mRNA Covid-19 vaccines.

In the case of AstraZeneca and Sputnik V, Duque said both vaccines are using an adenovirus vaccine vector.

Galvez said the National Vaccination Operations Center headed by DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, with Duque’s approval, will make a memorandum advisory tackling the guidelines on vaccine mix and match strategy.

“Meron kaming meeting ng Sputnik V manufacturer on how we will address the issue. Nagkaroon sila ng logistic problem on Component 2 (We already met Sputnik V’s manufacturer on how we will address the issue because they had a logistical problem with the production of Component 2),” he said.

The Gamaleya Research Institute is also applying an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its single-dose Sputnik V light, he added.

The Philippines has so far received a total of 350,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine–both Component I and Component II.