WHO approves Sinopharm vaccine already used in Georgia

Earlier last week, the World Health Organization approved the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency uses in all countries.

In his statement, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Health Products Dr. Mariangela Simao said that the vaccine produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd has the potential to allow countries access the rapid vaccination process of the medical workers and other high-risk groups and urged the Sinopharm manufacturers to join the COVAX platform to contribute to the accessible vaccination for all countries around the world.

The first 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine have been delivered to Georgia earlier last month, and the vaccination with the Chinese jab began on May 4, just several days before the WHO’s official approval.

Head of the Georgian Center for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze has received the first shot of the Sinopharm vaccine live on Georgian TV, and, on May 8, it became known that the country will also receive an additional 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from the Red Cross and with the help of International Federation of Red Cross, Red Crescent societies and The Red Cross Society of China.

“Details will be known soon regarding when those 100,000 will become available”, said Deputy Minister of Health of Georgia, Tamar Gabunia.

As of right now, any Georgian citizen aged over 18 can register for the vaccination in the country.

Over the last 24 hours, a total of 1,089 new cases of COVID-19 have been registered in Georgia, 1,489 patients have recovered, and 18 individuals have died.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country has now reached 321,919 with 300,989 recoveries and 4,281 deaths. Today, 16,623 remain infected with COVID-19 in Georgia.