DRAP okays emergency use of Sinopharm shots for people above 60

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on Friday approved the emergency use of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine for people above 60 years of age.

According to the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC), the Sinopharm vaccine was being administered to people up to the age of 60 years, however, it would now be used to inoculate citizens above 60 years of age too.

The body has approved China’s Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine for inoculations to registered health workers over 60 years.

It is phase two of the vaccination process in Pakistan. In phase one, the country inoculated the Sinopharm vaccine to its frontline medical staff.

The vaccine doses were donated by China earlier last month to help the country fight against the pandemic.

Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia are among the biggest recipients of free Covid-19 vaccines before June — more than 10 million doses each — the Covax scheme had announced on Tuesday.

Some 238.2 million doses would be distributed around the world by the end of May through the programme aimed at boosting access to coronavirus jabs in poorer nations.

Though vaccination campaigns have gathered pace globally, the majority of injections have been administered in wealthier countries while many nations are yet to receive a single dose.

In February, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan had announced that people aged over 65 will be administrated UK’s Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.