China’s CoronaVac shows an effectiveness of only 50.4% in late-stage studies taking place in Brazil – much lower than previous projections and barely enough to get regulatory approval.
The new data, reported by researchers on Tuesday, is a big blow for the South American country, as it suffers a second wave of one of the largest outbreaks of COVID-19 in the world.
The inoculation produced by Beijing from Sinovac is just one of two vaccines that have been approved for studies by Brazilian authorities, media reported.
Last week, researchers in Brazil celebrated results showing a much higher efficacy rate of 78% against mild to severe COVID-19 cases, but did not reveal that there was a group of people who received the vaccine and developed it. still “very easy” infections.
The latest data includes that group, according to Richard Palacios, medical director for clinical research at the Butantan biomedical center in Sao Paulo.
Palacios and government officials insisted the data is still good news, as none of the volunteers required hospitalization – so even if the vaccine is effective only 50% of the time, the cases are mild and will no longer strain overcrowded hospitals.
“It is a vaccine that will begin the process of overcoming the pandemic,” microbiologist Natalia Pasternak told Reuters.
“We have a good vaccine. It is not the best vaccine in the world. Not the ideal vaccine, “said the scientist, criticizing Butantan’s triumphant tone.
Butantan officials also said that the design of Brazil’s study – which focused on front-line health workers and used elderly volunteers – made it impossible to compare it with other studies taking place outside the country.
Turkish researchers found last month that the inoculation in Beijing was 91.25 percent effective, and Indonesia just gave emergency approval for the vaccine on Monday, when preliminary data showed it was 65 percent effective.
Pfizer’s and Moderna’s photographs, both approved for emergency use in the United States, have been shown to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 in their crucial phase 4 studies.
Brazil’s national immunization program is taking place on CoronaVac, along with the film created by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. None have been approved for use.
With Post threads