ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Secretary, National Health Services Regulations and Coordination Dr Nausheen Hamid Sunday said that the coronavirus vaccine development was in its final stages as China has assured to provide 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Pakistan by January 31.

The frontline staff will be the first ones to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and more than 3 lakh frontline workers have been identified to carry out vaccination process in first phase which is set to begin from end of February, she said while talking to a private news channel.

She said that Pakistan had approved Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use in Pakistan and expressed hope for its early availability from China, adding, the vaccine is being developed by CanSinoBio and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology China.

Nausheen Hamid said the Chinese vaccine is also successfully undergoing phase 3 trials, adding, it was an “honor” for Pakistan to be among the few countries participating in “the biggest and relatively difficult” phase-3 study of a vaccine”.

She explained the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination was dedicated for the frontline healthcare workers who were part of this challenge. In the second phase senior citizens aged 65 and over while in the third one the general population would be vaccinated.

She said government was under close contact with three international firms manufacturing the Covid-19 vaccine.