São Paulo – The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved CoronaVac, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech, for emergency use, WHO reported on Tuesday (1). In Brazil, the immunizer is produced by the Butantan Institute. The other vaccine made in the country is an international partnership by Oxford and AstraZeneca produced by Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) in Rio de Janeiro, whose emergency use has also been approved by WHO.
The WHO emergency use list is a signal to national regulators about the safety and efficiency of a product. It also allows the vaccine to be included in the Covax Facility consortium, the global vaccine supply program primarily for impoverished countries currently facing supply problems due to India’s suspension of vaccine exports.
CoronaVac has been recommended for adults over the age of 18, with a second shot between two and four weeks after the first. There is no maximum age limit, as data suggests that it is likely to have a protective effect in older adults. In addition to Oxford / AstraZeneca and CoronaVac, the WHO has already approved emergency use of vaccines against Covid-19 by Pfizer / BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
