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Oman approves emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

As of December 15, the sultanate reported 126,719 Covid-19 infections, including 118,505 recoveries and 1,475 deaths

by Zainab Mansoor

December 16, 2020

Oman has approved the import and use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 for emergency use.

The sultanate’s Ministry of Health, represented by the General Directorate of Pharmacy and Drug Control, has issued a licence to import the Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, only to be administered to those aged 16 or above, Times of Oman reported.

وزارة الصحة ممثلة بالمديرية العامة للصيدلة والرقابة الدوائية تُصدر ترخيصًا لاستيراد لقاح /فايزر بايونتيك/كوفيد١٩ للاستخدام الطارئ للوقاية من فيروس #كورونا المستجد للفئة العمرية من 16 عامًا فما فوق. pic.twitter.com/Kb87h5OZbq

— وكالة الأنباء العمانية (@OmanNewsAgency) December 15, 2020

“This procedure came after evaluating the efficiency and safety studies that were presented by Pfizer US on November 26,” a statement issued by the Government Communication Center (GC), read.

“The evaluation concluded that the known and potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh the expected risks and after its approval by the health authorities in the United Kingdom and Canada, and the US Food and Drug Administration.”

“The vaccine is offered in two doses, with an interval of three weeks. The presented studies included safety data available in clinical studies conducted on about 38,000 participants,” the statement added.

Oman joins several other GCC countries who have approved the Covid-19 vaccine for use.

Read: UAE approves China’s Sinopharm vaccine for use

Bahrain approved the registration of the Sinopharm Group vaccine against the coronavirus, about a week after the UAE registered the Chinese-made vaccine too. Bahrain has confirmed that it will administer the vaccine for free to all residents and citizens above the age of 18 within the country.

Saudi Arabia’s health authority, too, approved the registration of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in the kingdom.

As of December 15, the sultanate reported 126,719 Covid-19 infections, including 118,505 recoveries and 1,475 deaths.