Just two days after Pakistan approved the Astra-Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine on 16 January, the country’s regulators now gave approval for emergency use to another COVID-19 vaccine developed by a Chinese State-owned Sinopharm, Dawn reported.

“The approval has been given for emergency use and it will pave the way for bringing the vaccine to Pakistan,” Dr. Asim Rauf, the chief executive of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The import of the vaccine is expected to start soon as the country has already prebooked 1.1 million doses of Sinopharm’s vaccine.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has saught the details of approved vaccines from the government. The PMA earlier issued a statement, saying the country would procure Indian manufactured Astra-Zeneca through Covax, a global alliance for vaccine support.

The country seeks vaccines for 20 percent of its population through Covax.

Dr. Qaisar Sajjad, the head of the PMA, lamented at the apathy of the government, saying he didn’t expect vaccine coming to Pakistan any time before the second quarter of this year. He said, even India started the world’s largest vaccination drive and planned to vaccinate 300 million in the first phase.

Overall, Pakistan needs around 70 million doses of vaccines to inoculate its population. 50 percent of its total population is below 18 years hence would not need vaccines. And 70 percent of the remaining will be vaccinated for herd immunity.