The Department of Health (DOH) welcomed Wednesday, February 3, the significant developments in the coronavirus vaccines developed by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and the Gamaleya Research Institute of Russia.
The J&J recently announced that its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine is 85-percent effective in preventing severe disease.
“Magandang balita iyan, hindi lang sa ating bansa kung hindi sa lahat ng bansa kung magkakaroon nga ng ganitong bakuna na isang dose nalang po ,” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during the televised "Laging Handa" briefing.
“Unang-una, operationally, napaka simple na ng gagawin, wala na tayong hahantayin na period of time para makapagpabakuna for the second dose. At dito sinasabi din, isang turok lang sayo, makukuha mo na yung efficacy na kinakailangan ng isang katawan para ikaw ay maproteksyunan ,” she added.
Vergeire said the Philippine government has ongoing negotiations with J&J to secure doses of the pharmaceutical firm’s COVID-19 vaccines.
Meanwhile, the DOH spokesperson also lauded the recent announcement of Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute that the efficacy of Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 is at 91.6 percent.
“Itong 91 percent na efficacy...ito po ay magandang balita at sana tayo ay magkaroon ng ganitong bakuna din kasama nung ibang mga bakuna to provide additional protection for our population ,” said Vergeire.
However, all COVID-19 vaccines that will enter the Philippines must first be scrutinized by the country’s health regulators.
“Katulad ng lagi nating sinasabi bago tayo magpapasok (ng bakuna) sa ating bansa, kailangan dumaan sa ating regulatory process so we can doubly ensure na ito ay ligtas at saka magiging epektibo para ating populasyon ,” said Vergeire.