WHO approves China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine

The World Health Organization approved the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on Tuesday, The Sinovac jab is already in use in 22 territories around the world.

The UN health agency in a statement, gave the green light to the two-shot vaccine, which is already being deployed in several countries.

“WHO today validated the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.

“The move gives countries, funders, procuring agencies and communities assurance that it meets international standards for safety, efficacy and manufacturing,” the statement said.

The organisation has also given emergency use listing to vaccines being made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and the AstraZeneca jab being produced in India, South Korea and the European Union, which it counts separately.

WHO’s listing paves the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve and import a vaccine for distribution, especially those states without an international-standard regulator of their own.

It also opens the door for the jabs to enter the Covax global vaccine-sharing scheme, which aims to provide equitable access to doses around the world, particularly in poorer countries.

The WHO’s assistant director-general for access to health products, Mariangela Simao said, “The world desperately needs multiple Covid-19 vaccines to address the huge access inequity across the globe.

“We urge manufacturers to participate in the COVAX
facility, share their know-how and data, and contribute to bringing the pandemic under control.”

Other countries using Sinovac include Chile, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Turkey.

The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation have reviewed the jab and published their advice on its usage.

The agency said, “WHO recommends the vaccine for use in adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of two to four weeks.

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