Pakistan likely to get COVID-19 vaccine in next two months

Prime Minister’s National Task Force on Science and Technology Chairperson Dr Atta-ur-Rehman said on Monday that the coronavirus vaccine will be available in Pakistan in the next two months.

Dr. Rehman said that third world countries have already paid for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. “It will take time for smaller countries to procure the vaccine," he said.

He explained that dispensing the vaccine will be a lengthy procedure because of Pakistan's population.

Earlier this month, the federal cabinet approved a grant of $150 million to procure the virus vaccine.

Currently there are several companies around the globe working on COVID-19 vaccine.

Pakistan is in contact with officials in China for the vaccine, which is in final-stage of clinical trials. The vaccine is being developed by CanSinoBio and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology China as multiple Western pharmaceutical companies issued a string of positive vaccine announcements this month.

Meanwhile, Moderna and Pfizer are two other renowned vaccines available to tackle COVID-19.

Pfizer Asia Pacific spokesman confirmed to Geo News that the company was in talks with Pakistan's health ministry for the procurement of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine. It said the pharmaceutical, for now, would do government-based contracts due to heavy demand.

Talks are underway between Oxford Astra Zeneca and Pakistan's health ministry officials as well and it is expected that Pakistan will also receive a sizeable quantity of approved vaccine from the global COVAX alliance at some point in the coming year.