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Pakistan Says Pfizer Vaccine Not Suited for Developing Nations

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - A top Pakistani government scientist says Pfizer's
   coronavirus vaccine is not suited for Pakistan, or other developing
   countries because of the -80°C temperatures it needs to be kept at,
   and the need for a second shot.

   The American pharmaceutical company announced Monday that late-stage
   testing on its potential two-dose vaccine indicates it is more than 90%
   effective in preventing the virus in participants without evidence of
   prior infection.

   The revelation is being hailed as a rare piece of positive news in the
   fight against the pandemic that has globally infected more than 50
   million people, with 1.2 million deaths and 33 million people
   recovered.

   But Professor Atta Ur Rahman, who heads Pakistan's Task Force on
   Science and Technology, said Tuesday it is "premature at least" for his
   country or others in the developing world to celebrate the Pfizer
   vaccine.

   "This is a messenger RNA vaccine and it has to be transported at
   -80°C, so this vaccine is not suited for developing countries," Rahman
   told VOA. "The cold storage infrastructure and chains to take this from
   the airport across the cities and across the countries are missing in
   the developing world," the professor explained.

   He went on to note that COVID-19 patients would require two doses of
   the Pfizer vaccine three weeks apart and "a low-temperature carriage"
   requirement makes it all the more difficult in Pakistan, where average
   summer temperatures in southern and southwestern regions soar to
   between 40°C and 50°C.

   COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus.

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