UAE approves new Sinopharm vaccine to be used as booster jabs

The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has approved the emergency use of the Sinopharm CNBG’s new recombinant protein vaccine.

The new vaccine will be produced and distributed by Hayat Biotech, a JV between G42 and Sinopharm CNBG.

It will be available to the public as a booster dose starting January 2022.

The approval was granted following the strict monitoring and evaluation of data from a study conducted in the UAE, according to state-run news agency WAM.

The study included individuals who were previously vaccinated with two doses of the Sinopharm CNBG’s inactivated vaccine.

The seroconversion rate was up to 100 per cent of neutralizing antibodies, along with high safety rates and no side effects recorded among all the participants.

The ministry added that the vaccine demonstrated an improved immune capacity against the SARS-CoV-2 variants, with a high safety rate that allows rapid production and easy storage and distribution.

The UAE-based study has also showed an immune response against the emerging variants of the virus in volunteers who had previously received two doses of the Sinopharm CNBG’s inactivated vaccine.

The ministry stated that the emergency use of the new vaccine is in full compliance with the regulations and laws for a faster review of licensing procedures.

On Monday, the health ministry confirmed that 20,492 doses of the approved Covid-19 vaccines were administered over the previous 24 hours.

The total number of doses provided to date stands at 22,506,696, with a vaccine distribution rate of 227.56 doses per 100 people.

Also on Monday, the ministry reported 1,732 new infections over the preceding 24 hour period.