Widespread COVID-19 Vaccines Not Expected Until Mid-2021, WHO Says

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization does not expect widespread COVID-19 vaccines until the middle of next year, a spokeswoman said on Friday, emphasizing the importance of rigorous controls on their effectiveness and safety.

None of the candidate vaccines in advanced clinical trials so far has shown a “clear signal” of efficacy at the level of at least 50% sought by the WHO, said spokeswoman Margaret Harris.

Russia granted regulatory approval to a COVID-19 vaccine in August after less than two months of human testing, prompting some Western experts to question its safety and efficacy.

US public health officials and Pfizer Inc. it said Thursday that a vaccine could be ready for distribution by the end of October. That would be just before the November 3 US election, in which the pandemic is likely to be a major factor among voters deciding whether President Donald Trump wins a second term.

“We really don’t expect to see widespread vaccination until the middle of next year,” Harris told a UN conference in Geneva.

“This phase 3 should take longer because we need to see how truly protective the vaccine is and we also need to see how safe it is,” he added. This refers to the phase of vaccine research where large human clinical trials are conducted. Harris did not refer to any specific vaccine candidate.

All data from the trials should be shared and compared, Harris said. “A lot of people have been vaccinated and what we don’t know is whether the vaccine works … at this stage we don’t have a clear signal whether or not it has the level of efficacy and safety that is worthwhile …,” she added .

The WHO-GAVI vaccine alliance is leading a global vaccine allocation plan known as COVAX that aims to help purchase and distribute vaccines fairly. The focus is on vaccinating people most at risk first in all countries, such as healthcare workers.

COVAX aims to acquire and deliver 2 billion doses of approved vaccines by the end of 2021, but some countries that have secured their own supplies through bilateral agreements, including the United States, have said they will not join.

“Essentially, the door is open. We are open. What COVAX is all about is making sure everyone on the planet has access to vaccines,” Harris said.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay and Emma Farge; Editing by Frances Kerry)