Vietnam evaluating Sinopharm Covid vaccine for possible approval

By Chi Le   June 1, 2021 | 08:52 pm PT
Vietnam evaluating Sinopharm Covid vaccine for possible approval
A nurse holds a vial of China's Sinopharm coronavirus disease vaccine at a health center in Caracas, Venezuela March 7, 2021. Photo by Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria.
The Ministry of Health said Tuesday it is considering granting approval for a Covid-19 vaccine produced by China’s Sinopharm for emergency use.

A Drug Administration of Vietnam spokesperson said experts are working even during weekends to evaluate documents for it, and are also in touch with the Chinese to seek missing information.

The vaccine was approved by China last December and by WHO for emergency use last month.

Some 42 countries and territories have been using the vaccine, of which 200 million doses have been shipped worldwide.

Vietnam has already approved two other vaccines for emergency use: Russia’s Sputnik V and the one made by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca.

It has been using the latter for its vaccination program, under which over 1.1 million people have got shots so far.

Vietnam plans to secure 150 million doses this year to cover 70 percent of its population and achieve herd immunity.

 
 
go to top