Health

WHO approves Chinese-produced Covid-19 Sinovac vaccine

Geneva, Jun 1 (EFE).- The World Health Organization approved on Tuesday the Chinese-produced Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.

This is the second Chinese-made vaccine to receive the green light. The first was Sinopharm, approved in May.

The approval allows the vaccine to be included in the COVAX program, the global initiative to provide doses to low-income countries who face supply problems.

The inactivated virus vaccine has been approved for adults over the age of 18. The WHO recommends two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart.

Studies indicate that the Sinovac vaccine is only 51% effective in preventing symptomatic cases of Covid-19.

Sinovac is the sixth manufacturer to be approved for emergency use after Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Sinopharm.

Sinopharm and Sinovac are also the first Covid-19 vaccines to be given the green light by WHO without a similar decision by the European Medicines Agency or the US Food and Drug Administration. EFE

abc/mp/lv

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