Palestinian officials said Wednesday they expect to receive the first shipment of the coronavirus vaccine within the next two weeks.
Palestinian Authority Health Ministry Spokesperson Dr. Kamal al-Shakhra said the initial shipment will contain some 100,000 vaccine doses intended for medical staff, at-risk groups and Palestinian security forces personnel.
The PA's Health Ministry did not specify which pharmaceutical firm would be providing the vaccine, while Ramallah has yet to announce any official agreements with any countries or vaccine companies.
Senior health officials said, however, the PA is negotiating with Russia, China, and UK-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, among others.
"The best vaccine is the one that reaches Palestine the fastest," Dr. Kamal al-Shakhra said.
On Wednesday, the Chinese laboratory Sinopharm announced an efficacy of 79% for one of its anti-COVID vaccines, which should be distributed in China and in developing countries.
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Palestinians spray disinfectant as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, in Gaza
(Photo: EPA)
The figure is lower than those for vaccines from Pfizer / BioNTech (95%) and Moderna (94.1%).
AstraZeneca, associated with the University of Oxford, for its part claimed an effectiveness rate of 70%, which could reach 100% with two doses.
Republished with permission from i24NEWS