Sinopharm's two COVID-19 shots more than 70% effective, study says
27 May, 2021
Two COVID-19 vaccines from China's Sinopharm showed more than 70 per cent efficacy against symptomatic instances, nonetheless it remains unclear how much protection they offer against extreme or asymptomatic cases, according to the first detailed consequence of a large late-stage analysis published to the general public.
A vaccine produced by a Wuhan-structured subsidiary of Sinopharm was 72.8 per cent effective against symptomatic COVID-19 at least fourteen days after the second injection, predicated on interim results, the peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed on Wednesday (May 26).
This is slightly much better than the 72.5 per cent rate announced in a company statement in February.
Another vaccine developed by a Beijing-established institute linked to Sinopharm, which this month obtained emergency use approval by the World Health Organization (WHO), showed a 78.1 per cent efficacy, the paper stated.
The readings were based on calculations over 142 symptomatic cases in a trial involving more than 40,000 participants, with 26 injected with the Wuhan unit's vaccine and 21 with the Beijing unit's shot, it said.
"There were only two extreme cases of COVID-19 among participants, as a result conclusions about prevention of extreme cases cannot be made," the paper stated.
"The study could not address the issue of whether the ... vaccines prevent against asymptomatic an infection, which requires formal study-extensive surveillance via virologic and serologic lab tests," it said.
The trial, conducted in countries like the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, did not recruit women that are pregnant and people under 18, while info was insufficient for the elderly and those with chronic diseases, researchers said.
Info from other trial sites in Egypt and Jordan might be contained in the final analysis, experts said.
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