CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Bahrain first to approve Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use: regulator

ByReuters

The small Gulf state already offers citizens and residents free of charge four vaccines: the Pfizer/BioNTech, vaccine, one manufactured by Chinese state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and Russia's Sputnik V.

NHRA said the vaccine was for groups at greater risk of developing complications from COVID-19, including the elderly and people with chronic diseases.

"An in-depth study had been conducted on all documents submitted by the company, which included the results of the clinical trials conducted," NHRA CEO Mariam Al-Jalahma said.

The US Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday the Johnson & Johnson shot appeared safe and effective in trials, paving the way for its approval for emergency use in the United States as soon as this week.

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