Bahrain becomes second country in the world to approve use of Pfizer vaccine

Manama. the capital of Bahrain

MANAMA: Bahrain’s approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has made it the second country in the world to grant an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the vaccine.

The confirmation of approval by the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) followed thorough analysis and review undertaken by the authority of all available data.

It is Bahrain’s second approval of a Covid-19 vaccine EUA, following its approval last month of the Sinopharm vaccine for use by frontline workers.

Bahrain’s comprehensive “Test, Trace and Treat” Covid-19 response strategy, with one of the highest testing rates per capita in the world, has proved effective in breaking the chains of infection, managing down case numbers and saving lives.

“The approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will add a further important layer to the Kingdom’s national Covid-19 response, which has strongly prioritised protecting the health of all citizens and residents during the pandemic,” NHRA CEO Dr. Mariam Al Jalahma said.

Lindsey Dietschi, Pfizer Gulf Cluster Lead said that “today’s Emergency Use Authorization in the Kingdom of Bahrain marks a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19.”

“This authorization is a goal we have been working toward since we first declared that science will win, and we applaud the National Health Regulatory Authority in the kingdom of Bahrain for their ability to conduct a careful assessment and take timely action to help protect the people of Bahrain,” Dietschi said.

The United Kingdom was the first nation to authorize a Covid-19 vaccine.