NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan delivered its own QazVac vaccine to Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday as humanitarian aid and as part of a broader effort between the two countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Kazakh Foreign Ministry press service.
Since the pandemic began last year, Kazakhstan provided humanitarian aid several times to its neighbors. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry
The batch of vaccines was handed over in Bishkek with the participation of Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Health Alymkadyr Beishenaliev, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Rapil Zhoshybayev, and representatives of medical organizations.
Beishenaliev expressed sincere gratitude to the Kazakh side for the support in curbing the spread of the coronavirus infection in the country.
“We are glad that along with other foreign vaccines like AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and others, the citizens of Kyrgyz Republic will be able to get vaccinated against the coronavirus with QazVac,” he said.
He added that the Kazakh vaccine would be distributed to the vaccination centers and would expand the capabilities of the country’s medical system to reduce the risks of viral infection among citizens.
Zhoshybayev, in turn, noted that the delivery of the Kazakh vaccine was organized at the instruction of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, following his earlier talks with the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov.
“Kyrgyzstan is the first among our friends and international partners to receive the Kazakh vaccine against coronavirus, which once again demonstrates that the relations between our countries are built on friendship and good-neighborliness,” said Zhoshybayev expressing his hope that Kazakhstan’s vaccine will help save many human lives and improve the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Kyrgyzstan.
QazVac was developed by the Kazakh Biosafety Scientific Research Institute and has been widely used since the beginning of 2021 to vaccinate the citizens of Kazakhstan. The vaccination by QazVac is recommended for people over 18 years and is administered in two stages, with a recommended interval of 21 days.
The vaccine was registered by the World Health Organization as a candidate vaccine on May 15, 2020. The phase I clinical trials in September 2020 involved 44 volunteers, while a phase II clinical trial began on Oct. 17 with 200 volunteers.
On Dec. 19, the Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare granted permission for phase III clinical trials. 3000 people volunteered and were vaccinated with the QazCovid-in vaccine in the cities of Almaty and Taraz. No severe side effects or complaints were reported.
The Kazakh officials are currently in the process of obtaining the World Health Organization’s approval for QazVac.
