The Chinese Sinopharm vaccine has been one of the leaders since the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccine race. To date, it has been approved in more than 50 countries and is distributed worldwide. He has also come to the aid of several low- and middle-income countries through the COVAX agreement.
About Sinopharm
Sinopharm is produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China National Biotec Group (CNBG).
Sinopharm relies on an older but tested inactivated virus technology that involves removing dead coronaviruses and injecting them into the body. In essence, this process causes the body to produce antibodies against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
After vaccination, the immune system will be able to respond to infection with live coronaviruses. Antibodies can stick and prevent the virus from entering the body’s cells.
According to available data, Sinopharm vaccine has 100% protection against moderate and severe forms of Covid-19. Its overall efficiency is 86 percent. Side effects associated with vaccination of volunteers include injection site pain, headache, fever, or fatigue.
WHO approval
On May 7, 2021, Sinopharm received WHO approval for emergency use, giving the green light to the vaccine for global distribution.
The WHO recommends that the vaccine be given to adults 18 years of age and older on a two-dose schedule every three to four weeks. The effectiveness of the vaccine against symptomatic and hospitalized disease was estimated at 79% for all age groups combined.
The EUL listing procedure allows the assessment of the suitability of new products for health during public health emergencies. The aim is to make medicines, vaccines and diagnostic tools available to deal with emergencies as soon as possible, while adhering to strict safety, efficacy and quality criteria. The assessment weighs the threat posed by the emergency as well as the benefits that the use of the product may bring, compared to any potential risks.
For COVID-19 vaccines, the UN Office of Health has set the minimum efficacy threshold at 50% in its assessment of COVID-19 vaccines. At present, WHO has also approved:
- Pfizer / BioNTech: Communities
- Oxford / AstraZeneca: Vakhshevria
- Johnson and Johnson: Ad26.COV2.S
- Modern: mRNA-1273
- Sinopharm: BBIBP-CorV
- Nephew: CoronaVac
Countries approved by Sinopharm
According to the WHO, such countries have approved the use of Sinopharm.
Angola
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, Sputnik Light and AstraZeneca.
Argentina
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, CanSino, AstraZeneca, Sputnik and Covishield.
Bahrain
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Sputnik, Sputnik Light, Janssen and Covishield.
Bangladesh
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Sputnik, Janssen, Covishield and SinoVac.
Belarus
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik and Sputnik Light.
Belize
Another vaccine approved in the country is AstraZeneca.
Bolivia
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik and Covishield.
Brazil
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Sputnik, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Covishield and Sinovac.
Brunei
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Cambodia
Other vaccines approved in the country are AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
Cameroon
Another vaccine approved in the country is Sputnik.
China
Other vaccines approved in the country are RBD-Dimer, CanSino, SARS-Cov-2 Vaccine (Vero Cells), Sinovac and Sinopharm (Wuhan) Inactivated (Vero Cells).
Comoros
Sinopharm is the only vaccine approved in the country.
Egypt
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, AstraZeneca, Covishield and Sinovac.
Equatorial Guinea
Sinopharm is the only vaccine approved in the country.
Gabon
Another vaccine approved in the country is Sputnik.
Gambia
Another vaccine approved in the country is AstraZeneca.
Georgia
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
Guyana
Other vaccines approved in the country are AstraZeneca, Covaxin and Sputnik.
Hungary
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, CanSino, Sputnik, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Covishield.
Indonesia
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
Iran
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, AstraZeneca, Covaxin and the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine from Shifa Pharmed Industrial.
Iraq
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Jordan
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Kyrgyzstan
Another vaccine approved in the country is Sputnik.
Laos
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik and Sinovac.
Lebanon
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Sputnik and Covishield.
Maldives
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Covishield, Janssen and Sputnik.
Mauritania
Sinopharm is the only vaccine approved in the country.
Mauritius
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, Sputnik Light, AstraZeneca and Covaxin.
Mongolia
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik, Sputnik Light and AstraZeneca.
Montenegro
Another vaccine approved in the country is Sputnik.
Morocco
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, AstraZeneca and Covishield.
Mozambique
Sinopharm is the only vaccine approved in the country.
Namibia
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik and Covishield.
Nepal
Other vaccines approved in the country are Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik and Sinovac.
Niger
Another vaccine approved in the country is AstraZeneca.
Northern Macedonia
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Sputnik and AstraZeneca.
Pakistan
Other vaccines approved in the country are CanSino, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sputnik and Sinovac.
Paraguay
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Sputnik, AstraZeneca, Covaxin and Sinovac.
Peru
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Philippines
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Sputnik, Covaxin and Sinovac.
Republic of the Congo
Another vaccine approved in the country is Sputnik.
Senegal
Another vaccine approved in the country is AstraZeneca.
Serbia
Other vaccines approved in the country are Pfizer, Sputnik and AstraZeneca.
Seychelles
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Sputnik and Covishield.
Sierra Leone
Another vaccine approved in the country is AstraZeneca.
Solomon Islands
Another vaccine approved in the country is the Covischild vaccine.
Somalia
Another vaccine approved in the country is the Covischild vaccine.
Sri Lanka
Other vaccines approved in the country are Covishield, Pfizer and Sputnik.
Thailand
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
Trinidad and Tobago
Another vaccine approved in the country is the Covischild vaccine.
United Arab Emirates
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, Sputnik and AstraZeneca.
Venezuela
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik and Sputnik Light.
Vietnam
Other vaccines approved in the country are Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sputnik.
Zimbabwe
Other vaccines approved in the country are Sputnik, Kovaksin and Sinovak.