Nepal grants emergency use approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

KATHMANDU: The Department of Drug Administration has given the go-ahead for emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Director General of the department Narayan Prasad Dhakal said the permission was given on Friday.

The government is planning to procure six million doses of Pfizer vaccine to inoculate children above the age of 12.

State Minister for Health Umesh Shrestha said that Nepal will get the vaccines from COVAX facility.

According to the Department of Health Services, Nepal will receive 100,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine within a week.

India’s Covidshield and Covaxin, China’s Vero Cell and Coronavac, UK-produced AstraZeneca and US-made Johnson & Johnson have been given approval for emergency use in Nepal.

Pfizer vaccine is one of the vaccines used in many countries.

Pfizer’s vaccine must be stored and transported at -70C though it can be kept in a normal fridge for up to five days or up to 15 days in a thermal shipping box.