AstraZeneca vaccine. EPA Yonhap News
The World Health Organization (WHO) approved the emergency use of a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccine developed by a multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University in the UK on the 15th (local time).
WHO Secretary General Thewardros Adhanom Gebrejesus said at a press briefing that the AstraZeneca vaccine, commissioned by SK Bioscience of Korea and Serum Institute of India (SII), was put on the list for emergency use.
“The two companies are producing the same vaccine, but they are making it at different factories, so separate reviews and approvals were needed,” he said.
“(This approval) was completed within just 4 weeks from the time the WHO received the full documentation from the manufacturer. The WHO’s urgent use list evaluates and guarantees the quality, safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.” did.
Earlier, WHO’s immunization advisory group, the Expert Strategy Advisory Group (SAGE), said on the 10th that it recommends that adults over 18 years of age can use the AstraZeneca vaccine without any age restrictions. AstraZeneca is estimated to have an efficacy of 63.09%.
At the end of last year, the WHO approved emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer of the United States and Bioentech of Germany. “Now, the second and third vaccines are approved for urgent use,” said the president.
He continued, “We have all the elements for rapid vaccine distribution,” he said. “We still have to increase production, and vaccine developers have to submit all documents to the WHO.”
WHO’s approval for emergency use is a prerequisite for supplying vaccines through the COVAX facility. On this day, AstraZeneca vaccine can be distributed worldwide through COVAX.
AstraZeneca is KOVAX’s primary vaccine supplier, and KOVAX plans to deliver 336 million doses of the vaccine to member countries in the first half of this year.
Reporter Bae Jae-seong [email protected]