WHO clears Chinese Vaccine Sinovac for global use
World Health Organisation (WHO) has given approval for global use of covid-19 Vaccine by Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Of China.
Highlights
- WHO recommended its use for people above 18 years.
- Two-dose will be scheduled for it, with a gap of two to four weeks between shots.
- Sinopharm Group Co. had secured WHO’s approval for emergency use in May 2021.
- Additional inoculation options will be given for Covax programme led by WHO to ensure every country has access to vaccines.
- Other vaccines cleared for emergency use by WHO are vaccines from Pfizer Inc. & BioNTech SE, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca Plc, and Moderna Inc.
What were the concerns?
Chinese shot was battling concerns about its efficacy because of divergent data. Chinese Shot, called as CoronaVac, has lowest efficacy rate as per the clinical trial report. It showed an efficacy rate of 50.7% in preventing symptomatic covid cases in Brazil.
Effectiveness of CoronaVac
Real world data shows that, it is 94% effective against symptomatic infection, 96% against hospitalization while 98% effective against death. Data also highlights, Infection rate is decreasing in some countries that rolled out Sinovac locally such as in Chile.
CoronaVac
CoronaVac or Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine is an inactivated virus COVID-19 vaccine. It was developed by Chinese company Sinovac Biotech. Phase III clinical trial for this vaccine was carried in Chile, Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines, and Turkey. It does not need to be frozen.
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Month: Current Affairs - June, 2021