The World Health Organization's approval to give emergency use to the
COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by China's Sinopharm has been welcomed by
experts and health regulators worldwide. On Friday, the WHO gave the vaccine the green light, paving the way
for potentially millions of doses to be rolled out globally to reach
countries in need and boost WHO-backed efforts such as the COVAX
initiative. COVAX is a global effort aimed at ensuring access in poorer nations to novel coronavirus vaccines. The WHO is also considering approval for the emergency use of another Chinese vaccine made by Sinovac. Andrea Taylor, an expert on global vaccine data at the Duke Global
Health Institute, said two Chinese vaccines, if the Sinovac shot is
included in the COVAX program, will constitute a "game changer". "The situation right now is just so desperate for low- and
lower-middle-income countries that any doses we can get out are worth
mobilizing," Taylor told The New York Times. "Having potentially two
options coming from China could really change the landscape of what's
possible over the next few months." Bangladesh is very pleased to learn about the WHO decision to include
the Sinopharm vaccine in the emergency use listing, which surely comes
as a big blessing for the whole world in the fight against the deadly
disease, Mushtuq Hossain, an adviser at the Bangladesh Health Ministry's
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, said in an
interview with Xinhua News Agency. "Our government has already signed an agreement with Chinese counterparts to import this vaccine," the health expert said. Bangladesh's drug regulator has already approved the Sinopharm vaccine, Hossain said. Speaking at the conference with South Asian foreign ministers that
China hosted recently, he said that this was a good initiative by the
Chinese government. "International cooperation is a must for fighting a global pandemic
like COVID-19," he said, noting that a WHO emergency use listing will
help China extend more support to the countries in need. Gavi, an international vaccine alliance organization that co-runs
COVAX, welcomed the WHO's decision to approve the emergency use of the
Chinese vaccine. "This means the world has yet another safe and effective tool in the
fight against this pandemic," the alliance was quoted by The Associated
Press as saying. The COVAX program has already distributed over 54 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The WHO's move on Friday marks the first time any Chinese-made vaccine has received emergency authorization from the WHO. During a media briefing, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the WHO,
said, "The WHO gave emergency use listing to Sinopharm Beijing's
COVID-19 vaccine, making it the sixth vaccine to receive WHO validation
for safety, efficacy and quality." "This expands the list of COVID-19 vaccines that COVAX can buy, and
gives countries confidence to expedite their own regulatory approval,
and to import and administer a vaccine," he added. Sinopharm joins WHO-approved vaccines for emergency use developed by
Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, the Serum Institute of India and
AstraZeneca. "The addition of this vaccine has the potential to rapidly accelerate
COVID-19 vaccine access for countries seeking to protect health workers
and populations at risk," said Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant
director-general for access to health products. "We urge the
manufacturer to participate in the COVAX facility and contribute to the
goal of more equitable vaccine distribution." The WHO has recommended the Sinopharm vaccine for people aged 18 to
59 years, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of three to four weeks. The organization said the vaccine efficacy for symptomatic and
hospitalized cases was estimated to be 79 percent for all age groups
combined. Unlike some other vaccines, the Sinopharm vaccine is easy to store, making it suitable for low-resource settings. The WHO said it is also the first vaccine that will carry a vaccine
vial monitor, a small sticker on the vaccine vials that changes color if
the vaccine is exposed to heat, letting health workers know whether the
vaccine can be used safely. The Sinopharm vaccine has already been authorized by many countries around the world, with some 65 million doses distributed.
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