translated from Spanish: Covid-19: Sinovac announced that China has authorized the emergency use of its vaccine in minors

China has authorized the emergency use of CoronaVac, the vaccine for covid manufactured by the firm Sinovac, among people between 3 and 17 years old, according to the president of the company, the local press reports today. Sinovac President Yin Weidong told local media on Friday night that the relevant authorities have approved the emergency use of the vaccine in China in minors but that “it has not yet been decided when it will be used and from what age.” Sinovac has completed phases I and II of clinical research with hundreds of volunteers within this age group, according to which “the vaccine is as safe and efficient as it is for adults,” Yin told state broadcaster CCTV. On June 1, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the emergency use of sinovac’s vaccine, the second Chinese manufacturer to get this green light after the one developed by Sinopharm.La Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine “meets international standards of safety, efficacy and manufacturing” was obtained in early May, the WHO said in a statement. , where he noted that his technical advisers visited facilities of the Peking laboratory before issuing his decision. Sinopharm and Sinovac are the first vaccines against COVID-19 to be given this green light by the WHO without a similar decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Studies indicate that Sinovac’s vaccine has an efficacy of only 51% in reducing symptomatic cases of COVID-19, although the percentage rises to 100% for severe cases and those requiring hospitalization.

Original source in Spanish