WHO approves Sinovac, second Chinese-made Covid vaccine to get listed

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved a Covid-19 vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech for emergency use listing, the second Chinese-produced shot to get its endorsement, a WHO statement said on Tuesday.

WHO emergency listing is a signal to national regulators on a product’s safety and efficacy. It would also allow the shot to be included in COVAX, the global programme to provide vaccines mainly for poor countries, which currently faces major supply problems due to India’s suspension of vaccine exports.

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Sinovac logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. (Reuters)

In a statement, the independent panel of experts said it recommended Sinovac’s vaccine for adults over 18, with a second dose 2-4 weeks later. There was no upper age limit as data suggested it is likely to have a protective effect in older people.