LONDON: The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency approval for the Covid vaccine manufactured by Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm.
The vaccine has already been given to millions of people in China and elsewhere.
It is the first vaccine developed by a non-Western country to get WHO backing.
The WHO had previously approved the vaccines made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.
But individual health regulators in various countries – especially poorer ones in Africa, Latin America and Asia – have approved Chinese jabs for emergency use.
With little data released internationally early on, the effectiveness of the various Chinese vaccines has long been uncertain.
But the WHO on Friday said it had validated the “safety, efficacy and quality” of the Sinopharm jab.
It is recommending that the vaccine be administered in two doses to those aged 18 and over.
A decision is expected in the coming days on another Chinese vaccine developed by Sinovac, while Russia’s Sputnik vaccine is under assessment.
(With inputs from BBC)
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