WHO approved use of Chinese coronavirus vaccine Sinovac

World Health Organization (WHO) approved the emergency use of the vaccine on Tuesday Sinovac against COVID-19, the second Chinese manufacturer to obtain this green light after the one developed by Sinopharm obtained it in early May.

The Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine “meets international standards for safety, efficiency and manufacturingThe WHO said in a statement, where it noted that its technical advisers visited the facilities of the Beijing laboratory before rendering its decision.

It is 6th manufacturer to be on the emergency use list, after vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Sinopharm.

Sinopharm and Sinovac are also the first COVID-19 vaccines to which the WHO gives the green light without previously having a similar decision from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). ).

Emergency use approval gives these vaccines the opportunity to enter the COVAX program, created by WHO in cooperation with other agencies to distribute inexpensive and fair doses of COVID-19 vaccines around the world.

WHO stresses that Sinovac is an inactivated virus vaccine that is easy to store and transport, and its experts recommend its use for over 18 years, to which they must be administered two doses with an interval of two to four weeks.

Studies indicate that the Sinovac vaccine is 57% effective in reducing symptomatic cases of COVID-19, although the percentage increases to 100% for severe cases and those requiring hospitalization..

WHO advisers warn that no data on the effectiveness of the vaccine in people over 60 years of age, since few subjects above this age have participated in clinical trials, although this does not lead them to recommend a maximum age for use, as in vaccination campaigns it has been shown to be effective in old people.

The vaccine Sinovac It is already in use in 22 countries and territories, according to data collected by the AFP. In addition to China, it is administered in Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Thailand and Turkey, among other countries.

This procedure helps those in countries that cannot afford to determine the efficacy and safety of a drug on their own to access drugs more quickly. In addition, this will allow the Covax system to consider having additional vaccines. The Covax system was launched by WHO with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to distribute covid-19 vaccines in poor countries.

(With information from EFE and AFP)

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