NCDC head Amiran Gamkrelidze says that five vaccines_ Pfizer, Moderna, two AstraZeneca vaccines, and Johnson & Johnson _ have so far been approved by the WHO for so-called emergency use, and now comes Sinopharm. In his words, the authorization proves that the vaccine is safe and effective.
According to the NCDC head, around 45 countries use Sinopharm worldwide, and after the WHO's approval, it is expected to become available for more countries.
''A total of 100,000 doses of Sinopharm have so far arrived in the country. The shots should be taken twice, with three or four-week intervals between vaccinations. The doses will prove sufficient for 50,000 citizens,'' Amiran Gamkrelidze says, adding that negotiations are underway with China's correspondent agencies to import a half-million doses of Sinopharm to the country.
The WHO has approved Sinopharm for emergency use.
