BAGHDAD, Jan 20 (NNN-NINA) – Iraq approved the emergency use of China’s Sinopharm and British AstraZeneca vaccines, to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The Iraqi Ministry of Health said, the Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs (NBSD) approved the emergency use of the two vaccines.
Health Minister, Hassan al-Tamimi, who held a meeting with the NBSD, said, the ministry made all logistical preparations to receive the vaccines and identified the groups that would take the vaccines, the ministry said.
Ministry of Health spokesman, Sayf al-Badr, said, the Chinese vaccine, developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), “conforms to NBSD standards, and therefore Iraq approved it for use.”
Previously, NBSD already approved the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to combat the pandemic.
Also yesterday, the Ministry of Health reported 823 new cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 609,852.
The ministry also reported nine new deaths, raising the death toll to 12,962, and 1,813 more recovered cases, bringing the total recoveries to 573,011.– NNN-NINA
