A member of the vaccine expert panel expressed hope that the country would be able to start a study of COVID-19 vaccine mix and match this month.

During the ''Laging Handa'' public briefing, Nina Gloriani of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said the Philippines will use Sinovac Caccine in their mix and match study.

"We will also local study for mix and match and we will use Sinovac. It could be three Sinovac vaccines all throughout, or two Sinovac and another brand of vaccine for the third dose. Hopefully we will start our mix and match anytime soon this month," she said.

Gloriani said so far Sinovac has not given data for mix and match of vaccines, but she added there are studies which show better effectiveness of Sinovac vaccines to those who are vaccinated with longer intervals.

"For Sinovac we do not yet have data if it is safe to give another brand of vaccines for the third dose. Let us wait but there are studies in Sinovac where they see the waning immunity so they give third dose one month after the second dose, six months after the second dose and they also have some data of those who were given third dose one year after the second dose," she said.

"The Sinovac study shows that the longer the interval between second and third doses, the immune response is better," she added. Robina Asido/DMS