WHO approves Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use

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

It is the second Chinese vaccine to make the list, after the shot from Sinopharm was approved in April. The WHO approved list includes vaccines developed by BioNTech-Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Emergency listing of WHO 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.

There is no currently confirmed deal for Sinovac doses to be used under the COVAX program.

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.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the vaccine was safe and effective, and its easy storage requirements made it suitable for harsh climates.

"It's now crucial to get these lifesaving tools to the people that need them quickly," said Ghebreyesus.

The jab's efficacy has varied widely in different trials. The WHO's separate Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) showed the vaccine efficacy in phase III trials ranged from 51% to 84%.

The WHO said the shot prevented severe COVID-19 and hospitalization in 100% of the tested population.

Indonesia said last month that its study of 120,000 healthcare workers who received the vaccine showed it was 94% effective at preventing symptomatic illness.

Sinovac said that it has supplied more than 600 million doses in China and abroad by the end of May, and over 430 million of those doses have been administered.

The vaccine is already in use in 22 countries around the world, including Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey.