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The effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the Chinese company Sinovak Biotech, is 91.25 percent, according to provisional data from the latest phase of testing the drug in Turkey, Reuters reported. This result is potentially much better than data obtained from vaccine trials in Brazil, the agency added, BTA reported.
Researchers in Brazil, who are conducting the final third phase of the vaccine trial, said Wednesday that it was more than 50 percent effective, but delayed the announcement of full results at the company’s request, raising questions. on transparency. Dr. Serhat Yunal, an expert on contagious diseases and a member of the Turkish Medical Council, said that initial data on the effectiveness of the vaccine came from randomized trials involving 7,371 volunteers, the Associated Press reported.
Dr. Unal said the vaccine was safe. At a press conference last night, the Turkish researchers announced that no serious side effects were reported during their trials, except for one person who had an allergic reaction. Synovac is the first Chinese vaccine manufacturer to report details of the latest phase of clinical trials, following positive results for competing vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca last month, Reuters reported. According to media reports, Sinovac has postponed the announcement of the results of the last phase of the tests to January, in order to summarize data from other countries where the tests are performed, adds the Associated Press. The agency said the level of effectiveness of the vaccine found in Turkey could not be confirmed by an independent source at this time.
“We are now confident that the vaccine is effective and safe for Turks,” said Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, who attended the press conference with Turkish researchers on the Sinovac vaccine. The minister added that Ankara would use the researchers’ data to authorize the vaccine. Turkey has negotiated the purchase of 50 million doses of Sinovac vaccine and delivery was scheduled for December 11, but it was postponed. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the first shipment of three million doses would arrive on Monday. He denied reports by some Turkish media that the Chinese vaccine had already reached the country. “The Chinese COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be shipped to Turkey on Sunday,” Fahrettin Koca said last night. According to him, the first group of vaccinated, which will include health workers, will have around nine million people.
Sinovac has signed agreements to supply its vaccine, called KoronaVak, with countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, Chile and Singapore. The company announced that it is also negotiating with the Philippines and Malaysia, Reuters notes. Turkey’s Health Minister announced that his country will sign an agreement with Pfizer and its partner Biontech for 4.5 million doses of its vaccine to be delivered by the end of March, with the option to purchase another 30 million doses later. . The number of people infected with the new coronavirus in Turkey reached 2,100,712 yesterday, with 18,102 new cases a day, including asymptomatic cases, Reuters reported. The death toll from coronavirus infection in Turkey has risen to 19,115, including 254 in the last 24 hours (based on data available as of December 24).
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