A staff member checks tags on vials of COVID-19 vaccine at a packing line of Sinovac Life Sciences Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 23, 2020.Photo:Xinhua

Sinovac Biotech, a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced on Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac) has been approved by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) for emergency use in children aged 3 to 5 years. 

Sinovac also said on Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac) has been proven to be effective in reducing the risk of severe disease or death from SAR-CoV-2 infection, including cases caused by the Omicron variant, as some Chinese cities are witnessing an infection resurgence. 

These children will receive the same dose that is already administered to minors aged 6 to 17 years and adults, and there is no restriction on the use among immunosuppressed children aged 3 to 5 years, according to a statement the company sent to the Global Times.

This authorization was given under comprehensive evaluations based on analysis results from all available data on the vaccine and its use in children. The analysis relied on information submitted by the Butantan Institute, with research data from Chile, where the vaccine is already used in this age group, and research results on COVID-19 vaccination in Brazil, opinions from invited medical societies, real-life evidence, and published scientific literature data, according to the statement.

CoronaVac has been authorized for emergency use for adults in Brazil since January 17, 2021. The Anvisa authorized the extension of the use of the vaccine to children and adolescents 6 to 17 years of age on January 20, 2022. 

The vaccine has been approved for use in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide. As of Thursday, 260 million shots of CoronaVac had been administered to adolescents globally, according to the company.

Studies proved that the vaccine could effectively reduce the risk of severe disease and death for adults and children after being infected by SAR-CoV-2, including the Omicron variant, the company noted in a statement to the Global Times.   

The Omicron variant, especially subvariant BA5, recently has caused epidemic resurgences in China. Cases infected by the highly contagious BA5.2 strain have been detected in several cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Xi'an.

Besides SINOVAC, other Chinese firms are also accelerating research and development to help the country deal with the rapidly mutating virus under the dynamic zero-COVID strategy.

CanSino, another Chinese vaccine provider, said on Thursday that it had finished Phase II clinical trials on its inhaled COVID-19 vaccine and is collecting safety data.

The therapy is effective in combating the current BA.5 strain and also the BA.2 strain detected in some cities in China based on our study, it said.

China-developed neutralizing antibody combination COVID-19 therapeutic drugs are also proven effective in combating the fast-transmitting BA.4 and BA.5, Zhu Qing, senior vice president, head of biopharmaceutical research, Brii Biosciences told the Global Times recently.