DM Monitoring
BUENOS AIRES: Experts in viral diseases and infectology have highlighted the efficacy of Chinese vaccines against COVID-19 and its new variants.
“According to the evidence available so far, vaccines that have been licensed by the World Health Organization (WHO) are effective against all variants in circulation globally,” Jairo Mendez Rico, adviser on emerging viral diseases to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), told media recently.
The WHO gave emergency-use approval to the COVID-19 vaccines developed by Chinese companies Sinopharm and Sinovac in May and June respectively.
“We need to highlight the notable impact that vaccination has had in reducing mortality, severe cases and hospitalizations, which are fundamental objectives for controlling the epidemic,” said the PAHO adviser.
“That’s why, regardless of the variants in circulation, vaccines — along with all the public health measures that we already know about, including the use of a mask, physical distancing, isolating cases and quarantining contacts — continue to be the most efficient way to stop the transmission,” he added.
He also said that vaccines are not one hundred percent effective, “therefore we will always have several cases of people who are going to get infected, even if they are fully vaccinated.”
The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinopharm is 84 percent effective in preventing deaths caused by the disease, according to a recent report from Argentina’s Ministry of Health.
The document, titled “Study of the National Vaccination Campaign’s Effectiveness in Reducing Mortality from COVID-19 in People aged 60 and over,” was prepared by the ministry with cases from the country’s 24 provinces during the period from Jan. 1 to June 22.
The effectiveness against COVID-19 mortality in the Sinopharm vaccine reached 61.6 percent with the application of the first dose in the 147,908 cases analyzed, and increased to 84 percent after the second dose was applied to the same number of people.
Argentina in February authorized the emergency use of the Sinopharm vaccine after Health Minister Carla Vizzotti signed a resolution, an official measure which highlighted the “safety, immunogenicity and efficacy” of the vaccine.
In June, Argentina approved the emergency use of the vaccine developed by China’s CanSino Biologics.
Both the Sinopharm and CanSino vaccines were “effective,” Argentine infectious diseases expert Martin Hojman said in a recent interview with media, adding that their arrival in the South American country was “excellent news.”
“The Sinopharm has two doses. It is an inactivated vaccine that has proven efficacy and has no adverse effects. It is a safe vaccine,” said Hojman.
“The CanSino has the advantage of being a single dose, it also has very good efficacy, and can be stored in normal cold (storage) for a long time, so it is an easier vaccine,” Hojman added.
