Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines to be used for elderly

Lahore, 5th February: Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines for COVID-19 will be used for elderly people in Pakistan.

Baaghi TV: According to health officials, Pakistan plans to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines to the people aged above 60.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has till now granted the emergency use of the Chinese-made Sinopharm and the AstraZeneca vaccine developed by Oxford University.

A senior health official told that Pfizer will also be filing for emergency use authorisation in Pakistan later this month.

He explained, “Pfizer has not applied as yet for approval. the company has conveyed that they are preparing a dossier for submission by the end of February.”

Once the pharmaceutical company submits its proposal, the drug regulatory authority will then decide if it is safe to start the process of vaccinating the public..

According to earlier reports, on February 2, coronavirus inoculation officially kicked off in Pakistan after China gifted the country 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine.

It is reported that Sinopharm vaccine will be initially used to vaccinate 500,000 healthcare workers in the country who are directly in contact with the COVID-19 infected.

Sources said to Geo News that since then, Pakistan has immunised 10,000 healthcare workers.

Pakistan is also on the list to receive 17,160,000 doses through the global COVAX platform, which is expected to buy the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine in bulk and Pfizer vaccine in small quantity as well.

A press release from WHO on Wednesday stated that the delivery to Pakisan is expected at the end of February, provided that the World Health Organisation grants Emergency Use Listing to AstraZeneca.

The WHO has already given the go-ahead to the Pfizer vaccine.

As per reports, Pakistan plans to use both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccine on people who are over 60 years.

Health officials also say that elderly will be vaccinated in the second phase of the drive after covering healthcare professionals.

The official added that two vaccines will be administered to the elderly population provided the drugs fulfill the requirements of WHO Emergency Use Authorisation or satisfy DRAP quality parameters.

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