WHO: Chinese vaccines safe and effective

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Vaccines from Chinese laboratories Sinopharm and Sinovac have proven safe and effective against COVID-19, but additional data is needed, World Health Organization (WHO) experts announced today.

This assessment was made by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), a WHO body, which met from March 22 to 25. These experts are responsible for providing recommendations on vaccination.

 In a document summarizing the main points raised at the meeting, experts stated that the two Chinese vaccines that have applied for WHO approval have shown to be "safe and effective against COVID-19 when the patient has symptoms".

"However, there is no data regarding elderly people and people suffering from other diseases," the experts stated.

Once this data is added, studies on the efficacy and safety of these two vaccines for that segment of the population will be needed.

The WHO's decision on the approval applications for Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines is expected in early April at the earliest.

President of the expert group, Alejandro Cravioto, said that experts will await the WHO's decision on vaccine approval before publishing their recommendations on the use of the two Chinese vaccines.

On December 31, 2020, the WHO approved the first anti-COVID vaccine for emergency use, Pfizer-BioNTech. On February 15, the organization approved AstraZeneca vaccines (produced in South Korea and in India by the Serum Institute of India), and on March 12, the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.