Pakistan Approves Emergency Use of Chinese Covid-19 Vaccine CoronaVac Despite Low Efficacy Rate

Pakistan has permitted the emergency use of the third Chinese vaccine, regardless of its low efficacy price, because the nation struggled to comprise the unfold of the coronavirus. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on Thursday granted Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) to CoronaVac, developed by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech, officers stated on Saturday. “This is the third Chinese vaccine allowed to be used in Pakistan,” a DRAP official stated, including that the nation now has 5 permitted COVID vaccines.

Pakistan has already granted the EUA to China’s two-dose Sinopharm and single-dose Convidecia vaccine developed by the Cansino Biologicals Inc. UK’s AstraZeneca and Russian Sputnik V vaccines have additionally been permitted by the DRAP. So far, Sinopharm vaccines are being administered in most of the federal government hospitals, whereas majority of the personal sector hospitals are giving Sputnik pictures.

The newly permitted CoronaVac vaccine has reportedly low efficacy price, however the authorities allowed its emergency use to broaden its vaccination drive which stays low. The vaccination drive started on February 2. However, solely a little bit over a million doses have been administered to this point. According to a Geo News report, the CoronaVac vaccine, regardless of its low efficacy price was allowed by the well being authorities to counter the third wave of the pandemic in Pakistan. The CoronaVac vaccine is already being utilized in China, Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil and the Middle East. The approval of the brand new vaccine got here because the quantity of coronavirus instances proceed to pile up within the nation.