China’s COVID-19 vaccine Sinovac only 50% effective [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• According to Brazil’s Instituto Butantan, the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sinovac’s efficacy rate is now at 50%.
• The Brazilian government had sealed a 100 million deal with the Instituto Butantan to distribute over 100 million doses of vaccine.
• Last week, the institute said that the vaccine’s efficacy rate was 78%.

Brazil ━ the late-stage trials of the Chinese-manufactured vaccine for COVID-19 ‘Sinovac’ findings showed that the vaccine was almost 30 percent less effective versus the initial results announced last week. 

From nearly 80 percent efficacy rate, Sinovac is now down to at least 50 percent level of effectiveness, according to São Paulo-based research group Instituto Butantan on Tuesday.

The latest results followed after the wake of criticisms faced by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro over delayed inoculation campaign nationwide.

With over 200,000 deaths due to COVID-19, Brazil has yet to launch a comprehensive vaccination scheme to mitigate the pandemic. The government, though, has already finalized an exclusive deal of 100 million doses with Instituto Butantan last week, Bolsonaro aims to distribute the vaccines across the country before the year ends.

Prior to the vaccine’s rollout, the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency would still need to review and give clearance for its use.

Other neighboring nations such as Chile (using Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from the US) and Argentina (using Sputnik V from Russia) have already rolled out their vaccinations in recent weeks.

The institute, which was the first research firm that finished the late-trials of the Sinovac, incorporated the latest results in its request for emergency use approval.

In accordance with the recommendation of the World Health Organization, ANVISA would require a 50% efficacy rate to authorize the use of a vaccine.

During a press conference last week, Sinovac posted a total of 78 percent overall efficacy according to the. The institute, conducting the trials through a sampling of 12,508 volunteers, revealed that the vaccine was potent against preventing serious cases of coronavirus.

“This is an efficient vaccine,” Instituto Butantan Chief Researcher Ricardo Palacios said on Tuesday, adding that the vaccine “is able to control the pandemic through this expected effect, which is the decrease in the disease’s intensity.”

Source: VOA News