NIH planning to develop single dose coronavirus vaccine in Pakistan

• Work on single-dose coronavirus vaccine is under way, says NIH official.
• China formally asked to transfer the coronavirus vaccine technology and raw material for it will reach Pakistan shortly.
• NIH has carried out a clinical trial of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine CanSinoBio, placing the country among the first few to do so.

ISLAMABAD: The National Institute of Health (NIH) is working on a plan to develop a single-dose coronavirus vaccine for Pakistan.

"Our team is ready to undertake this task, while a Chinese team is already here to oversee the exercise," NIH Executive Director Major General Aamer Ikram told the National Assembly standing committee on national health services on Thursday.

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He said the NIH had carried out a clinical trial of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine CanSinoBio, placing the country among the first few to do so.

China had been formally asked to transfer the vaccine technology and raw material for the vaccine will reach the country shortly, the NIH official said.

The process of manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine will begin following the imminent restoration of the relevant NIH plant, which was closed a few years ago.