China has approved Sinovac’s corona vaccine for children from 3 years old via an emergency procedure.
It is the first time that a major country is paving the way for vaccinating toddlers against the coronavirus.
Research among several hundred subjects showed that the vaccine is just as safe and effective for children as it is for adults, Sinovac chief executive Yin Weidong told Chinese state television. The authorities have not yet announced when they actually want to start vaccinating minors in China.
In China, only adults can currently be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The People’s Republic of nearly 1.4 billion inhabitants has so far administered more than 723 million doses of corona vaccines. The country has also largely brought the domestic coronavirus outbreak under control with strict measures.
Yin also said his company investigates whether it makes sense to give people a third vaccine dose instead of the current two. The first research results are promising, he says. The top executive emphasized that further research is needed before Sinovac can develop a concrete recommendation about when such a third dose should be administered.