World Health Organization approves China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved a Covid-19 vaccine made by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac for emergency use. The decision will allow CoronaVac to be used in WHO's vaccine-sharing program, COVAX, which seeks to provide equitable global access to immunizations. It is the second Chinese vaccine given WHO approval after Sinopharm was approved in early May.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news briefing Tuesday that CoronaVac was "found to be safe, effective, and quality-assured following two doses of the inactivated vaccine."
WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has recommended the vaccine for people over 18. Two doses should be spaced between two and four weeks.  Unlike some other vaccines, CoronaVac doesn't need to be kept at super-cold temperatures. "The easy storage requirements of CoronaVac make it very suitable for low-resource settings," Tedros said. "It's now crucial to get these lifesaving tools to the people that need them quickly."

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