WHO approves new vaccine, expert rules out using it in Iraq

A less expensive, easier-to-distribute coronavirus vaccine developed by Maryland-based Novavax was granted emergency authorization by the World Health Organization (WHO), while a health expert ruled out the use of the new vaccine in Iraq.

The World Health Organization issued an emergency use listing (EUL) for NVX-CoV2373 on Friday, expanding the basket of WHO-validated vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The vaccine, named CovovaxTM, is produced by the Serum Institute of India under license from Novavax and is part of the COVAX facility portfolio, giving a much-needed boost to ongoing efforts to vaccinate more people in lower-income countries.

“Even with new variants emerging, vaccines remain one of the most effective tools to protect people against serious illness and death from SARS-COV-2,” said Dr. Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products. ‘This listing aims to increase access particularly in lower-income countries, 41 of which have still not been able to vaccinate 10% of their populations, while 98 countries have not reached 40%.”

The researcher and pharmacist in the field of the Covid pandemic, Dr. Osama Al-Ani, said in an exclusive statement to PUKmedia that "the main goal is to increase production by lifting intellectual property restrictions, to allow the largest number of Covovax vaccine and provide it in large quantities, to meet the need of a country such as India and African countries that are still unable to vaccinate a large proportion of its population."

He added that "The vaccine is easy to store and transport, and it is not like Pfizer, and in the end, it will produce the largest number to cover India and poor countries."

However, regarding the use of the new vaccine in Iraq, Dr. Osama stressed that the Iraqi Ministry of Health's plan depends on the use of Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccines for the next 6 months, ruling out the adoption of the new Covovax in the country at the current stage.

So far, over 8.1 million people have been vaccinated in Iraq with the number continuously rising daily.



PUKmedia