China has approved the emergency use of Sinovac Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac) for children aged three to 17 years of age.
Sinovac Biotech Chairman Yin Weidong revealed the news to the state media on June 4. To date, China’s mass vaccination drive has delivered 723.5 million vaccine jabs for those aged 18 and above.
RELATED STORY: Philippines to receive 1M Sinovac Covid-19 jab on June 6
However, the availability of Sinovac’s vaccine to younger groups depends on health authorities that formulate China’s inoculation strategies. Yin noted that minors have lower priority for vaccination against the coronavirus — compared to the elderly, who face a higher risk of severe symptoms after infection.
Early results of Phase I and II clinical trials highlighted the vaccine’s possibility of triggering an immune response among three to 17-year-old participants, with most of the adverse reactions being mild.
Meanwhile, State-backed drugmaker Sinopharm — with its two shots using technology similar to Sinovac’s product — is also submitting data for clearance in vaccinating younger groups. A vaccine from CanSino Biologics’ (6185.HK), which uses a different technique, is being used in a Phase II trial on children between six and 17 years of age.
READ ON: Sinovac receives WHO’s emergency use approval
Sinovac finished a Phase II clinical trial comprising participants injected with a third booster dose after completing two regular shots, Yin said, adding that these participants witnessed 10-fold increase in antibody levels, compared to previous levels in a week, and 20-fold in half a month.
Yin, however, cautioned that Sinovac still needed to finish a longer-term observation of antibody duration, before recommending to authorities on when a third dose should be given. (AW)
