Three COVID-19 vaccines under review at advanced stages for emergency WHO approval

The World Health Organization (WHO) is said to be in the final stages of reviewing three coronavirus vaccines for emergency international distribution.

Reuters reported On Wednesday, an internal document obtained by the press wire indicated that the WHO could in the weeks or months to come give the green light to the vaccinations developed by Moderna, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm and Sinovac in China.

WHO has already approved the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

According to Reuters, Mariangela Simao, WHO Deputy Director-General for Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals, said: “We have 3 more in the final stages to be evaluated for registration, we still have 2 more. . In total we have 13. ”

Simao added that the WHO, the public health wing of the United Nations, was not aware of any deaths linked to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The emergency approval would allow the organization to start distributing the vaccines to countries around the world, primarily low-income ones that have reduced capacity for large-scale medical distribution. WHO also serves as the health regulatory body for countries that do not have an independent body similar to those in the United States and United Kingdom that are able to review the safety and efficacy of vaccines. .

The news comes on the same day as President Biden’s inauguration, who is expected to issue a series of executive orders Wednesday night that will include the United States returning to the WHO.

Biden and Vice President Harris’ COVID-19 vaccination plan listed on the White House website understands that the administration: “Immediately restore our relationship with the World Health Organization, which – while not perfect – is essential in coordinating a global response during a pandemic. ”

Former President TrumpDonald Trump Lil Wayne Gets Trump Pardon for 11th Hour Trump grants clemency to more than 100 people, Bannon Trump should forgive Bannon: MORE reports in July launched the process of withdraw the country from WHO following claims the organization was biased towards China and was slow to respond to the initial outbreak of the virus in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

WHO’s withdrawal requires one year’s notice. Without any action from Biden, the United States would officially leave the international forum on July 6.

In a press call with journalists Wednesday, Jeff ZientsBiden’s Jeff ZientsSlew Orders COVID to Include Resumption of WHO Membership Biden to Sign Wave of Management Actions in Early Hours of Presidency Biden Appeals to Former FDA Commissioner Kessler to lead vaccination efforts PLUS, said Biden’s COVID-19 response coordinator, “[Today] begins a new day, a new and different approach to managing the country’s response to the coronavirus crisis.

The virus has now infected more than 96.6 million people worldwide, with more than 2 million deaths as a result, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.