Covid hospitalisation ‘higher’ in Bahrain among Sinopharm recipients
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Risk of Covid infection, intensive care unit admissions and deaths remained high among recipients of the Sinopharm vaccine in the Kingdom, according to a study published by Nature Magazine.
This follows a study into the Kingdom’s Covid-19 related outcomes from a national database, taking into consideration the administering of four vaccines to tackle the pandemic risk.
The study was carried out by Dr Sid Mukherjee, a researcher in the field.
“Despite the overall effectiveness of all four vaccines in decreasing the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisations, intensive care unit admissions and deaths, we noted a significantly higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalisations and ICU admissions among recipients of the Sinopharm vaccine compared to other vaccine recipients.
“For example, the percentage of deaths among all post-vaccination COVID-19 cases among recipients of the Sinopharm vaccine was 0.46 per cent versus 0.15pc for Pfizer/BioNtech and 0.03pc for AZ/Covishield (1 death).
This trend was consistent for all COVID-19 outcomes, i.e. infection, hospitalisation, ICU admission and death,” the study found.
The study also found that Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine was associated with statistically significantly fewer post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infections, hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths compared to the Sinopharm vaccine among those aged above 50 years of age. The study did reveal a higher percentage of hospitalisation in Bahrainis compared to non-Bahrainis.
“Notably, across all vaccines, we found a higher percentage of hospitalisation in Bahrainis compared to non-Bahrainis.”
Bahrain has introduced a series of measures to ensure equal access to the vaccines regardless of race, age, nationality, gender, or income.
Vaccines were administered at no cost.
Thirty-one vaccination sites were established in the country to ensure access.
Protocols were also available for registration, counselling/consultation vaccination and observation.
The sites were geographically distributed at 27 primary care centres, The International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Sitra Mall, King Hamad University Hospital and Bahrain Defence Force Hospital mobile vaccination units were utilized to provide the vaccine to senior citizens, persons with special needs, inmates, and others who are unable to receive the vaccine at one of the designated vaccination centres.
Having approved eight vaccines to be administered to the public in its battle against the Covid-19 vaccine, Bahrain now stands fourth along with Botswana, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Vietnam in the matter of giving nod to different anti-Covid vaccines.
India and Mexico, which have approved 10 anti-Covid vaccines top the list.
The two countries are followed by Argentina, Nepal, Moldova, Hungary and Ecuador with each of them approving nine different vaccines.
The Daily Tribune earlier quoted National Health Regulatory Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Mariam Al Jalahma, who attributed the success in the fight against the virus to the remarkable feat achieved on the vaccination front.
As of now, the Kingdom has approved Pfizer/BioNTech Comirnaty, Gamaleya Sputnik Light, Gamaleya Sputnik V, and Johnson and Johnson Ad26.
COV2.S, Covishield AstraZeneca, Bharat Biotech Covaxin, Sinopharm Covilo and ValnevaVLA2001.
Bahrain became the first country in the world to authorise, receive and administer Valneva’s Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by the French biotech major.
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