Bahrain approves use of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine

The country becomes the second globally to authorise use after UK

A nurse gives a thumbs up at Manama's repurposed convention centre, in which 6,000 people are participating in a large-scale trial of a Chinese-sponsored vaccine for the Covid-19 coronavirus, on August 27, 2020 in the Bahraini capital. - Chinese drug giant Sinopharm began testing the inactivated COVID-19 jab in Bahrain earlier this month after starting a similar trial on 15,000 subjects in the nearby United Arab Emirates in July. The current phase of the study, in which the vaccine's efficacy and safety is tested in a large cross-section of the population, is due to last until July 2021. (Photo by Mazen Mahdi / AFP)
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Bahrain said it has granted emergency use authorisation for the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, becoming the second country after Britain to approve it.

“The approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will add a further important layer to the kingdom’s national Covid-19 response,” Dr Mariam Al Jalahma, chief executive of Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority, said on Friday.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was first approved for use in the UK this week. It is currently being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration in the US for approval as early as December 10.

The state had also approved Sinopharm's Covid-19 vaccine in November for use by frontline workers.

Since the pandemic started, Bahrain recorded at least 87,600 known coronavirus cases and 341 deaths due to Covid-19.

What is Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and how effective is it?

What is Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and how effective is it?