National

Chinese army sends second COVID-19 vaccine batch to Pakistani military

The vaccine was provided with the approval of the Central Military Commission, and at the request of the Pakistani military

By App

May 07, 2021

This handout picture taken on February 1, 2021, and released by the Pakistan Health Ministry, shows the first batch of COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine boxes unloaded from a Pakistan's air force plane after arriving from China at the Nur Khan military airbase in Islamabad. — AFP/File

The Pakistani Army has received the second batch of coronavirus vaccines from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Pakistan Army received the first batch of the vaccine from the Chinese PLA on February 8, China Military Online reported Friday, becoming the first foreign military to get the COVID-19 vaccine from the Chinese military.

The vaccine was provided with the approval of the Central Military Commission, and at the request of the Pakistani military, according to China Military Online.

Meanwhile, the first batch of China’s CanSino COVID-19 vaccines that the Pakistani government purchased in bulk also reached Pakistan a few days ago, CanSino Biologics told the Chinese media.

The bulk vaccines will now help Pakistan maufacture the vaccine locally to support the country's fight against COVID-19, the company told Xinhua.

The third phase trials of the CanSino vaccine had been conducted in Pakistan and it is the second Chinese COVID-19 vaccine that Pakistan approved for emergency use in the country.

Currently, Pakistan is facing a third wave of COVID-19 and the positivity rate has seen a sharp rise, forcing the authorities to continue tightening the anti-pandemic measures and facilitating the vaccination drive.