Pakistan likely to receive Moderna COVID-19 vaccine through COVAX

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is likely to receive Moderna’s mRNA-1273 coronavirus vaccine doses in the coming months through COVAX — the World Health Organisation’s global shared vaccine programme.

This was stated by officials from the country’s health ministry.

Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination official said that talks were underway with COVAX to acquire the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.

The official told ARY News that there has so far been no confirmation on when and how many doses of the double-dose vaccine would be provided to Pakistan.

Pakistan recently received 100,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine through the COVAX facility and also made an agreement to procure 13 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer.

SAPM Faisal Sultan said the doses would arrive by the end of 2021, under an agreement the government has made with the manufacturer.

Pakistan has started a mass vaccination campaign late last month that is now open to all adults.

Nearly 13 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the country of 220 million people so far, with about 3.5 million people fully vaccinated, according to the National Command Operation Center, which is overseeing the pandemic response.

Pakistan has primarily used Chinese vaccines – Sinopharm, CanSinoBio and Sinovac- in its inoculation drive and, earlier this month began allowing those under 40 to receive AstraZeneca, of which it has a limited supply meant for people traveling to countries that require it.

Pakistan has so far granted emergency use authorization to six different vaccines, including China’s Cansino, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Russian Sputnik V, European AstraZeneca and US Pfizer vaccines.