DUBAI (Reuters) – Bahrain has granted emergency approval for the use of a Chinese COVID-19 candidate vaccine lately in frontline Phase III trials as of Tuesday, official news firm BNA reported.
The candidate vaccine, nearing the end of phase III trials in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain and Jordan, is a partnership between Sinopharm’s China National Biotec Group (CNBG) and The Abu Dhabi-based synthetic intelligence and cloud computing organization 42 (G42).
In September, the United Arab Emirates legalized the emergency use of the same vaccine for frontline personnel with the highest threat of infection with the new coronavirus.
Bahrain’s Health Minister Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh said in comments published through BNA on Tuesday that the use of the vaccine is in line with the country’s regulations on exceptional emergency licensing.
“The effects of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials have shown that the vaccine is effective,” he said, adding that Phase III trials were conducted without disorders and without serious side effects.
About 7,770 more people have volunteered at Phase III trials in Bahrain and won a dose so far, the minister added.
Phase III trials of the inactivated virus vaccine began in mid-July in the United Arab Emirates and have been extended to Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan.
Last month, G42 Healthcare CEO Ashish Koshy said the vaccine was given to more than 31,000 people in those countries.
Several ministers and senior officials have already won the vaccine in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, adding the Crown Prince of Bahrain.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister and Vice-President of the United Arab Emirates and Dubai leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum tweeted one of him receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
(Report via Lisa Barrington; Edited through Alison Williams, William Maclean)