By Alec Go
Vaccine experts are still investigating the possible effects of using different brands of Covid-19 vaccine on an individual amid a prevailing global supply shortage.
According to Dr. Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Vaccination Foundation (PVF), “there is no harm” in the mixing of vaccines but the matter “remains to be investigated.”
“Walang kumpanya pa na gumagawa ng ganitong pag-aaral na imi-mix mo iyong bakuna nila sa iba, that is never done before,” Bravo said.
However, she noted that some companies are now mulling the use of other brands to cover the second dose inoculation of individuals who have already been injected with a vaccine whose supply is short or unavailable.
“Titingnan mo ngayon kung talagang ganoon pa rin ang efficacy. Kasi ganito iyan, hindi naman makakasama, kaya lang iyong efficacy magbabago,” she explained.
“Posibleng magdagdag ka ng efficacy or tumaas, posible rin na bumaba, or posibleng the same. It remains to be seen. Pero hindi masama, hindi makakasama kung makapag-iba ka or mabago,” she added.
The expert speculated that vaccines with the same component might not really have a huge difference in terms of efficacy. Mixing products that do not share similarities, meanwhile, is something that needs to be studied further.
Meanwhile, the physician cited a report from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stating that there have not been many cases of serious adverse events following vaccination.
Watch this interview with Dr. Lulu Bravo for more details:
