Islamabad: Pakistan has approved China’s CanSinoBio Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said on Friday.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) approved the vaccine.
CanSinoBio last week released interim efficacy results of a multi-country trial, which included Pakistan, showing 65.7% efficacy in preventing symptomatic coronavirus cases and a 90.98% success rate in stopping severe infections.
Pakistan earlier this month launched a vaccination drive with 500,000 doses of Sinopharm’s vaccine donated by long-time ally China.
Those shots are first being given out to frontline health workers on a priority basis.
The government earlier this month also approved the Russian Sputnik Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.
The Drap has given the final nod for the emergency use of the Russian vaccine, which has already been cited as “effective and safe” by Russain President Vladimir Putin.
“The Russian Sputnik Covid-19 vaccine has been approved under Section 7 of Drug Act 1976,” sources said, adding that after Drap’s approval the doses would be used all over the country.
