The COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) program under the World Health Organization (WHO) plans to distribute 100 million doses of Chinese COVID vaccines to countries in Africa and Asia. These vaccines are made by China’s two vaccine producers Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm.
South Africa was given 2.5 million dozes of the Sinovac vaccine (CoronaVac). Its officials rejected these vaccines. Nicholas Crisp, Deputy Director-General in South Africa’s National Department of Health, overseeing its COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, said, “There is not enough information on the effectiveness of these vaccines against the Delta variant, nor is there information on the efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine in HIV-infected populations. We did not accept the Sinovac vaccine from COVAX because it was not mature enough in our evaluation and planning process.”
Algeria, which was given 8 million dozes of Sinopharm’s vaccine, is also cautious and said that vaccine is a “possible” choice.
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Source: Taiwan Apple Daily, August 29, 2021
https://tw.appledaily.com/international/20210829/IXSELKR7KZF65MH4FBGCGK5SOA/