The CoronaVac vaccine is produced by the private bio-pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech. CoronaVac is the second vaccine produced in China, which was authorized for being administered in China: in July 2020 the authorities in Beijing approved it for being urgently administered to high-risk groups, IPN reports, quoting the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency.

According to the Agency, both of the vaccines have been used in the vaccination program in China, primarily for immunizing key groups that are considered at high risk of infection. Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Uruguay and Laos provided emergency authorizations for the CoronaVacvaccine developed by Sinovac Life Sciences.

“The data about the efficiency of the vaccine from Sinovac differ. The last tests performed in Brazil, which were published in January 2021, showed an efficiency of 50.4%, while in Indonesia and in Turkey – of 65.3% and, respectively, 91.5%. It is yet known that this fully prevents the severe evolution of the coronavirus and in 78% of the cases - the mild form of the virus. The vaccine was approved in 20 countries. On January 13, the authorities in Turkey allowed to administer this. Several Asian countries, Singapore, Malaysia and the Filipinas, and also Brazil signed agreements to purchase CoronaVac. Ukraine has immunized its citizens with this vaccine since the end of March. The vaccine was also authorized in Azerbaijan, Chile, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic etc. CoronaVac is at the final stage of approval at the WHO,” the institution said in a press release.

This is an inactivated vaccine and is considered a traditional type of vaccine. The WHO experts who took part in the mission to formulate recommendations in terms of vaccines, on April 7 announced that the vaccine produced by the Chinese company Sinovac proved its safety and efficiency against COVID-19, but more data are yet needed as to the vaccination of older persons and persons who suffer from other diseases.

The WHO decisions on the homologation application submitted by Sinovac are expected.