The Philippines has authorized Russia's Sputnik Light, a single dose COVID-19 vaccine, for emergency use, immunization czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Monday as the government rushes inoculations to control the spread of the more transmissible coronavirus Delta variant.
Some 10 million shots are being eyed for use by the Philippines according to Galvez following the grant of EUA by the Food and Drug Administration.
This makes Sputnik Light the second single-dose vaccine to secure an EUA from the Philippines after Johnson & Johnson's Jannsen.
An EUA will expedite the delivery of a vaccine as authorities race to vaccinate as many Filipinos, especially the most vulnerable.
The Sputnik Light vaccine, which boasts a 79.4% efficacy based on analyzed data from Russia's mass vaccination program, is said to be effective against all strains of the coronavirus. The two-dose Sputnik V has Emergency Use Authorization or EUA from Filipino regulators.
Russia authorized the one-shot version of its flagship Sputnik V vaccine in May 2021. Sputnik Light will cost less than $10 (about P500) per dose, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said.
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