MANILA - The Department of Science and Technology said Monday it would launch a study into mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccine brands as the country has yet to receive a steady supply of doses.

The 18-month study which will involve 1,200 participants is expected to begin next month, DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said. It is awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration and the Health Research Ethics Board, he added.

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"Ito po ay magkaibang bakuna sa 2 doses. Meron po tayong 7 bakuna na approved with an EUA (emergency use authorization) pero di po natin masiguro kung dadating sa tamang petsa yung kailangang second dose kaya mangangailangan tayo na magkaroon ng kombinasyon ng bakuna," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(It involves 2 doses composed of different vaccines. We have 7 vaccines with an EUA but we can't be sure if the second dose will arrive on the date it would be needed so we need to have a combination of vaccines.)

"Gagamitin po 'yan para magkaroon tayo ng basis kung alin ang magandang ipag-mix. Puwede naman lahat yan kaya lang titingnan ano ang mas magandang kombinasyon."

(It will be used as basis on what brands are good to mix. We can use all of these but we will which combinations are good.)

The study will focus on mixing Sinovac with other brands as the country has a steady supply of the former vaccine, Dela Peña said.

Participants will come from Manila, Rizal, Pasig, Makati, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Cebu and Davao, according to Dela Peña.

Government aims to vaccinate 120,000 people daily in Metro Manila and 500,000 persons daily in key economic hubs nationwide to achieve herd immunity in these areas by November, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez earlier said.

The Philippines needs to inoculate up to 70 million or two-thirds of its population by end of year to achieve herd immunity, he said.

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