Sinopharm Vaccine approved by WHO

The World Health Organisation recently approved the Emergency Use of Sinpharm vaccine. Recently, the WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca, Pfizer, BioNTech, Johnson and Johnson as well. The other popular Chinese Vaccine is sinovac.

Sinopharm Vaccine

Sinopharm vaccine was developed by China. This is the first time the WHO has given approval to a Chinese vaccine. It is also a sign that Sinopharm vaccine might be allowed to be included in COVAX programme.

According to WHO, the efficacy of Sinopharm vaccine is 79%.

Working of Sinopharm

The Sinopharm Vaccine is an inactivated vaccine just like the COVAXIN. The inactivated vaccines are creating by killing the disease carrying virus (COVID-19) using heat, radiation or chemicals. These vaccines take longer time to make. Also, they require two to three doses.

The other vaccines that use this approach is the polio vaccine and flu.

Out of several vaccines in the world, only Sinovac, Sinopharm and COVAXIN use inactivated virus. Other vaccines such as Moderna, AstraZeneca (COVISHILED), sputnik, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson use a viral vector.

Current Scenario

Though the Chinese vaccine is just receiving WHO approval, it is already being administered in several countries. Also, the other Chinese vaccine called the Sinovac is yet to get WHO approval. Countries such as Pakistan and Egypt are planning to administer Sinovac. One million Sinovac vaccines were recently transported to Pakistan. Egypt has agreed to produce 60 million Sinovac doses in June 2021.

Countries like Brazil, Bahrain had raised concerns over the efficacy of the Chinese vaccines.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2021