Covid-19 vaccine updates: US inches towards approving Pfizer for emergency use, Egypt receives 1st shipment of doses from China

Pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca among many others have developed vaccines to combat the disease and governments are opting for emergency approvals to administer shots to frontline workers, senior citizens and those most vulnerable to Covid-19.

The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, which originated in China’s Wuhan in late 2019, has infected over 70 million and killed nearly 1.6 million across the globe till now. Pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca among many others have developed vaccines to combat the disease and governments are opting for emergency approvals to administer shots to frontline workers, senior citizens and those most vulnerable to Covid-19. Pfizer’s vaccine is already approved for use in the United Kingdom, Bahrain and Canada while Moderna has started a study of its vaccine in adolescents as the United States begins to distribute the first shots among adults.

The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, which originated in China’s Wuhan in late 2019, has infected over 70 million and killed nearly 1.6 million across the globe till now. (AFP Photo)

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus vaccine:

1. An advisory panel of the United States government has endorsed widespread use of Pfizer’s vaccine, which puts the country just one step away from launching a vaccination drive to combat Covid-19. Shots might be administered within days, depending on how quickly the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signs off on the panel’s recommendation. The country remains to be worst affected by the pandemic with over 16 million cases and nearly 300,000 deaths.

2. Egypt on Thursday received its first shipment of a vaccine from China’s Sinopharm, which was tested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is said to be 86 per cent effective. Khaled Megahed, the health ministry spokesperson, stated that the government would first vaccinate health care workers, particularly those who are dealing with coronavirus cases adding they would receive two doses of the vaccine over a period of 21 days.

3. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, India’s largest hospital chain, said that it is ready to administer one million vaccine doses per day but said that the central government is not clear on how vaccines will be distributed and whether the private sector would be involved. The company, through its digital app, has told its clients that a shot should be available in 60-120 days and customers will be the first ones to know about the vaccines. Apollo has held talks with Adar Poonawalla’s Serum Institute of India (SII)- which is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer.

4. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the government is scheduled to start a mass vaccination campaign on December 27 and added that the country is ready to make 60,000 vaccinations per day. The country has so far made deals with Pfizer, Moderna and other vaccine makers. Netanyahu over several months has faced criticism over his handling of the pandemic with citizens demanding his resignation.

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5. The Japanese government will purchase 10,500 deep freezers for storing vaccines. Japan has agreements to buy a total of 290 million doses of the vaccines from Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca Plc and Moderna Inc. Nearly 169,000 people have been infected and 2,465 have died till now.

(With agency inputs)