One-dose Sputnik Light secures EUA

MANILA – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the single-shot Sputnik Light from Russia, National Task Force Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. announced Monday.

Galvez said the approval of the Sputnik Light, a variation of the two-dose Sputnik V jab, could hasten the country’s vaccination drive toward achieving population protection by the end of the year.

“The majority of the procured vaccines including Pfizer, Sinovac and Moderna, and maybe (Sputnik manufacturer) Gamaleya. They might have an increased delivery this coming September and October,” Galvez said, partly in Filipino, during a media briefing with Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque at a mall in San Mateo, Rizal.

The government has initially ordered 10 million doses of Sputnik V vaccines, with a total of 365,000 doses already delivered.

“We will follow up on our order for more or less 10 million doses of Sputnik V. It will become 10 million treatments, meaning about 10 million individuals will benefit from the full protection considering that Sputnik Light will be administered in one dose which is like the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” he said.