Bahrain plans free shots, Saudi Arabia approves Pfizer jab

Bahrain has anunced plans to give public free coronavirus vaccines, as Saudi Arabia said it approved an iculation by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech to fight pandemic.

island nation of Bahrain, off coast of Saudi Arabia, me vaccine pledge in an anuncement published late Thursday by its state-run Bahrain News ncy.

“A safe vaccine will be provided free of charge to all citizens and residents within kingdom,” statement said, without elaborating on which vaccine it would offer.

Bahrain plans to iculate everyone 18 years and older in kingdom at 27 different medical facilities, hoping to be able to vaccinate 10,000 people a day. Bahrain, an island in Persian Gulf home to U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, has a population of around 1.5 million people.

A week ago, Bahrain said it h become second nation in world to grant an emergency-use authorization to Pfizer vaccine after United Kingdom.

Pfizer shots, a so-called “mRNA vaccine,” contain a piece of genetic code that trains immune system to recognize spiked protein on surface of virus. To be vaccinated, a person receives two shots over 21 days.

In time since, Bahrain has t responded to questions from Associated Press, including on Friday. Pfizer told AP that details of its sales agreement with Bahrain, including “timing of delivery and volume of doses,” were confidential and declined to comment.

Bahrain h alrey granted emergency-use authorization for a Chinese vaccine me by Sipharm and has iculated some 6,000 people with it. That vaccine is an “inactivated” shot me by growing whole virus in a lab and n killing it.

United Arab Emirates on Wednesday described Sipharm vaccine as 86% effective, but provided few details and answered questions . It marked first public release of information on efficacy of that shot.

Earlier Thursday, Saudi Arabia's Food and Drug Authority said it h registered Pfizer vaccine “so that health authorities in kingdom can n import and use vaccine.”

kingdom said it based its decision on information given by Pfizer on v. 24, without elaborating. Pfizer on v. 18 said its vaccine is 95% effective .

A major challenge for Pfizer shot in Mideast remains wear, however. vaccines must be stored and shipped at ultra-cold temperatures of around minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit).

Saudi Arabia said its Health Ministry later would anunce plans on how it would distribute vaccine in kingdom, biggest Gulf Arab state, with a population of 34 million people.

(Im Credit: AP)