RCSI Bahrain’s joint research proves efficacy and safety of a specific COVID-19 vaccination programme

RCSI Bahrain’s joint research proves efficacy and safety of a specific COVID-19 vaccination programme

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) in collaboration with the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

in Bahrain, the Supreme Council of Health, the Ministry of Health and Bahrain Defence Force – Royal Medical Services, published the results of successful joint research proving the efficacy and safety of a particular combined COVID-19 (SARS-CoV2) vaccination programme, among key global studies. The research was published on 23rd January 2023 in the scientific journal “Vaccine”, a peer-reviewed medical journal, published by Elsevier, for medical professionals interested in vaccinology, vaccines and vaccination.

Bahrain started its vaccination programme against COVID-19 (SARS-CoV2) in May 2021 with a “mix-and-match” strategy between different vaccines. After summarising the evidence from clinical trials in Bahrain and other countries using Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) and a few studies reporting tangible benefits, the feedback showed the weakening of immunity, increased infection and immune-evasive COVID-19 variants among Sinopharm-vaccinated patients. As a result, booster vaccine doses were widely advocated to address those concerns.

This joint research is the first to report on the efficacy and safety of a COVID-19 vaccination programme involving Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) and Pfizer (BNT162b2) vaccines in individuals initially vaccinated with two doses of Sinopharm. The research showed