Chinese coronavirus vaccine approved in Bahrain, citizens to get free inoculation

Bahrain on December 13 said that it has approved the use of Chinese drugmaker Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate after previously approving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Meanwhile, Kuwait has also granted emergency use for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Bahrain’s state-run news agency said that the Sinopharm’s COVID vaccine would be available in the region off the coast of Saudi Arabia. 

However, it offered fewer details about the results of the clinical trials of the vaccine that were in line with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which said last week that the vaccine was 86 per cent effective. While the Emirati statement gave the first information on the efficacy of the shot, Bahrain reportedly said that over 7,700 signed up to take part in the trial of the Sinopharm’s COVID vaccine in the kingdom. Bahrain has also said that it is planning to provide vaccine free of cost to its citizens but has not yet answered any questions about its immunisation program. 

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Peru suspends Sinopharm's vaccine trial

Peru has halted the clinical trials for China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine candidate reportedly due to a “serious adverse event” involving one of the volunteers for the study. The Peruvian government reportedly said in a statement that the event is currently “under investigation to determine if it is related to the vaccine or if there is another explanation.” 

China’s Sinopharm Group Co Ltd is conducting trials in Peru with nearly 12,000 volunteers and neurological problems in one of its participants just when it was about to complete the first stage of trials in the next few days. Meanwhile, as Peru has recorded more than 36,000 deaths due to COVID-19, the country’s health ministry said in a statement that the decision to “temporarily suspend” clinical trials is a safety measure that contemplated in the regulations for clinical trials along with the protocols established to safeguard the health of research subjects. 

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Inputs: AP