Bangladesh approves emergency use of China's Sinovac vaccine

Bangladesh on Sunday approved the emergency use of a vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech.

The head of the country’s drug regulator Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA), Mahbubur Rahman, singed the approval documents on Sunday.

Sinovac’s local agent Incept Pharmaceuticals Limited had applied for the approval of the vaccine.

So far 22 countries have approved the use of Sinovac vaccine. A person aged over 18 years will be required to get two doses of Sinovac jabs in a gap of two to four weeks. The Sinovac vaccine can be stored at normal fridge temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.

The drug administration said five vaccines have been approved for emergency use so far and these are developed by AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinopharm, Pfizer and Sinovac.

Chinese deputy ambassador in Dhaka Yan Hulang said on Saturday China is ready to hand over the second batch of 600,000 vaccines to Bangladesh as gift by 13 June. However, when Bangladesh will receive it hasn’t been finalised as yet.

China gave Bangladesh the first batch of 500,000 jabs developed and manufactured by Sinopharm as gift on 12 May, requesting to use 30,000 jabs for the Chinese nationals staying here.

The second batch of 600,000 vaccines that Bangladesh is receiving is also manufactured by Sinopharm.