15,000 Sputnik V Component II Doses Arrive in PH

15,000 doses of Sputnik V component II arrived in the country on Friday and will be used for people who have received the Sputnik V component I dose.

Director Maria Soledad Antonio of the Department of Health – Bureau of International Health Cooperation (DOH-BIHC) told reporters that the health department will track those who got the first dose for their second dose, which will use component II.

The health department is looking into those who are nearing the 42 days from their first dose, as they are the ones in need of Sputnik V’s component II.

The doses, which arrived on a Qatar Airways flight, are part of the 20 million Sputnik V jabs that the Philippines has procured from Russia. So far, the country has received 285,000 doses of component I, and 80,000 doses of component II.

There is still no known date on when the next batch of Sputnik V vaccines will arrive in the country. However, Antonio said that the government will make sure that those who got Sputnik V vaccine will still get full protection in the event no component II doses will be delivered by the time they are in need of their second dose.

Measures include the use of AstraZeneca shots if deemed necessary. (GFB)