On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinovac Biotech for emergency use, reported Reuters.
The WHO listing, an indication of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, allowed the vaccine to be included in COVAX, the international program distributing COVID-19 shots among primarily low-income countries. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, stated that the efficacy and minimal storage restrictions made the vaccine suitable for these countries.
The vaccine, named CoronaVac, is the second COVID-19 vaccine from a Chinese supplier to be endorsed by the WHO. The first was Sinopharm which gained approval for emergency use on May 7.