Middle East Nation Becomes Second in World To Authorize Pfizer's COVID Vaccine
The island kingdom of Bahrain said Friday it has become the second nation in the world to grant authorization for emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.
The state-run Bahrain News Agency made the announcement on Friday night, following an earlier announcement by the United Kingdom on Wednesday, making Britain the first in the world.
“The confirmation of approval by the National Health Regulatory Authority of the kingdom of Bahrain followed thorough analysis and review undertaken by the authority of all available data,” the country said.
Bahrain did not say how may vaccines it has purchased, nor when vaccinations would begin. It did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.
Pfizer later told the AP that details of its sales agreement with Bahrain, including the “timing of delivery and the volume of doses,” was confidential and declined to comment.
“We have developed detailed logistical plans and tools to support effective vaccine transport, storage and continuous temperature monitoring,” Pfizer said.
“Our distribution is built on a flexible just in time system which will ship the frozen vials to the point of vaccination.”
The immediate challenge for Bahrain would be the conditions in which the vaccine must be kept. It must be stored and shipped at ultra-cold temperatures of around minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bahrain is a Middle East nation that regularly sees temperatures in the summer of around 105 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity.
Bahrain does have a state-owned airline, Gulf Air, that it could use to transport the vaccines. In the nearby United Arab Emirates, the Dubai-based long-haul airline Emirates has already said it is preparing its facilities to distribute vaccines.
The vaccine also requires two doses be given three weeks apart.
Bahrain had already authorized a Chinese vaccine made by Sinopharm and has inoculated some 6,000 people with it. That vaccine also is in use in the UAE.
“The approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will add a further important layer to the kingdom’s national COVID-19 response, which has strongly prioritized protecting the health of all citizens and residents during the pandemic,” Dr. Mariam al-Jalahma, the CEO of Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority, said.
BioNTech, which owns the vaccine, said it has so far signed deals to supply 570 million doses worldwide in 2021, with options to deliver 600 million more. It hopes to supply at least 1.3 billion in 2021.
Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, is a small island off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf.
With a population of 1.6 million, it has reported around 87,000 cases of COVID-19 and 341 deaths, according to the government. Over 85,000 people have recovered from the illness that is caused by the virus.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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