Pakistan approves emergency use of third Chinese COVID vaccine, despite its low efficacy rate

Pakistan approved the emergency use of the third Chinese vaccine, despite its low efficacy rate, on Thursday.

Citing officials, Geo News reported that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to another Chinese vaccine, CoronaVac.

Earlier, Pakistan had granted the EUA to China's two-dose Sinopharm and single-dose Convidecia vaccine developed by the Cansino Biologicals Inc.

This would be the fifth coronavirus vaccine and the third Chinese vaccine to be used in Pakistan. UK's AstraZeneca and Russian Sputnik V vaccines have also been approved by the DRAP.

According to the report, the CoronaVac vaccine, despite its low efficacy rate was allowed by the health authorities to counter the third wave of the pandemic in Pakistan, reported Geo News.

Meanwhile, two Chinese and one Russian vaccine are being used in the public and private sectors. Pakistan is also expecting the AstraZeneca vaccine under the COVAX programme.

Meanwhile, the third wave of coronavirus has killed 105 more people in Pakistan in the last 24 hours, taking the national death tally to 15,229.

Citing National Command and Operations Centre's (NCOC) official data, Geo News reported that about 5,312 new cases emerged in the country with the total tally now recorded at 710,829 as of today.

( With inputs from ANI )