WHO approves Sinovac COVID-19 shot

The World Health Organization has approved a coronavirus vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech for emergency use.

The WHO announced on Tuesday that it validated the Chinese jab, adding it on its Emergency Use Listing.

The validation allows the vaccine to be distributed globally through the COVAX Facility, an international distribution framework led by the WHO.

It is also expected to serve as a reference for developing countries that don't have their own screening systems for regulatory approval.

The Sinovac shot is the second Chinese vaccine in the listing, following the one developed by Chinese state-owned drug maker Sinopharm added in May.

Other shots listed by the WHO include the Pfizer BioNTech, AstraZeneca Oxford, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna vaccines.

WHO officials plan to continue adding vaccines so long as it confirms their efficacy and safety in order to accelerate the COVAX effort, in particular with distribution to developing countries in mind.

nhk