Manila, Taguig, Makati, Parañaque and Muntinlupa to get 3k doses each of Sputnik V
(Eagle News) — Five cities in Metro Manila are set to receive about 3,000 doses each of the Russian-made vaccine Sputnik V which are set to arrive before the month ends.
National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 deputy chief implementer and testing czar Vince Dizon identified these cities: Manila, Taguig, Makati, Parañaque, and Muntinlupa.
Dizon said that that 15,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccines developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute needed to be kept in temperatures of minues 18 degrees Celsius. The cities were chosen because they have the storage facilities which can keep the vaccines at that temperature, and because they have already been trained on the handling of the vaccines.
-Pilot rollout of Sputnik V to determine PHL readiness in handling ultra cold storage jabs-
The five cities will also serve as the pilot roll-out for the initial 15,000 Sputnik V vaccine doses.
The results in the pilot-roll-out of the vaccines is important in determining the country’s readiness in handling vaccines requiring ultra cold-storage of negative 18 degrees or lower.
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines even require much lower temperatures of -60 degrees Celsius at least.
-Special training needed for handling and administration of Sputnik V vaccines-
Dizon explained that while most cities in Metro Manila have cold storage facilities with -20 degrees Celsius temperatures or even lower than this, what is important is the training in the handling of these vaccines.
Unlike the previous Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines, wherein the two doses required for complete immunization are basically the same, the first and second dose of Sputnik V contain different ingredients.
“The Sputnik V vaccine is produced using biotechnology, without using the SARS-CoV-2 virus pathogenic for humans. The drug contains two components: Component I and Component II,” the Food and Drug Administration provided instructions on the vaccine stated.
“Component I includes a recombinant adenoviral vector that uses a serotype 26 human adenovirus carrying a SARS-CoV-2 protein S gene. Component II includes a serotype 5 human adenoviral vector carrying a SARS-CoV-2 protein S gene.”
-Special instructions in administering Sputnik V jabs-
The administration of the Sputnik V vaccines has special instructions, and not the same as the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.
“The vaccine is for intramuscular injection only. Intravenous administration of the drug is strictly prohibited. The vaccine is injected into the deltoid muscle (the upper third of the outer shoulder surface). If it is impossible to inject the drug into the deltoid muscle, the drug is injected into the vastus lateralis,” the instructions read.
“The vaccination is administered in two stages: first 0.5 mL of Component I, and then, three weeks afterwards, 0.5 mL of component II is injected,” it said.
Because the vaccines have to be stored at negative 18 degrees Celsius or lower, there are also special instructions on how to prevent wastage of the vaccines.
“With a single-use syringe, draw 0.5 mL of the drug as a dose to administer to a patient. If subsequent injections are postponed for some reason, an open 3.0 mL vial may be stored for at most 2 hours at room temperature. Storing an open 0.5 mL vial (ampoule) is not allowed!” instructions for the vaccine administration read.
“Re-freezing of a vial with the drug is not allowed! The drug kept in a vial or ampule with compromised integrity and/or labelling, of changed physical properties (opalescence, coloration), subjected to improper storage and/or with expired shelf life isunfit for use,” it said.
Both components 1 and 2 of the Sputnik V vaccines meant as separate doses look the same. Component I in frozen solution, is “a dense, solidified mass whitish in color.” After thawing, it turns into a “homogeneous solution, colorless or with a yellowish hue, slightly opalescent.”
The Sputnik V vaccines “should be used with caution in cases of chronic liver and kidney
disease, endocrine disorders (apparent thyroid function abnormalities and diabetes mellitus in
decompensation stage), serious diseases of the hematopoietic system, epilepsy and other CNS
diseases, acute coronary syndrome and acute cerebrovascular event, myocarditis, endocarditis, pericarditis.”
(Eagle News Service)
