Sinovac jab gets WHO’S nod

The Chinese Covid vaccine’s approval by the UN agency comes alongside Moderna seeking FDA’S nod for full-fledged use in US

BEIJING/TORONTO: The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved China’s Covid-19 vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech for emergency use, a statement from the UN health agency said on Tuesday, making it the second Chinese-produced shot to get the WHO’S nod.

“On the basis of available evidence, the WHO recommends the vaccine for use in adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of two to four weeks,” the WHO said in a statement.

Last month, the WHO had approved for emergency use a Covid-19 vaccine made by China’s state-owned drugmaker Sinopharm.

The WHO has also licensed vaccines developed by Pfizer-biontech, Astrazeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

In the US, Moderna has said that it has begun the process to secure full US regulatory approval for the use of its Covid-19 vaccine in adults. Moderna said it has begun a “rolling submission” to the FDA of data from its studies of the vaccine.

Pak launches home-made vaccine against Covid-19

Pakistan on Tuesday launched its home-made Covid-19 vaccine named Pakvac that it developed with the help of China. Top health official Faisal Sultan said mass production of the vaccine will begin in the coming days.

Canada to mix and match shots for easier roll-out

Canadian health authorities have announced that Covid-19 vaccines will be mixed and matched, and the process could ensure a quicker roll-out of the national vaccination drive.

In another development, Greece, Germany and five other EU nations introduced a vaccination certificate system for travellers on Tuesday, weeks ahead of the July 1 roll-out of the programme.

Peru has more than doubled its official coronavirus death toll from around 69,300 to 180,700, becoming the country with the highest Covid-19 mortality per capita anywhere in the world. So Peru now has the highest Covid-19 mortality per capita, with 5,484 per million inhabitants.