WHO Will Review Two COVID-19 Vaccines from China

A World Health Organization (WHO) expert panel is set to review two COVID-19 vaccines from China based on inactivated viruses. The panel will meet on Monday to consider Sinopharm’s vaccine and will meet in early May to discuss Sinovac’s CoronaVac.

If the experts deliver positive assessments, the WHO could provide one or both vaccines an emergency use listing that clears the way for global regulators to authorize the shots and allows the WHO-backed vaccine sharing initiative COVAX to distribute doses to developing nations.

The WHO has already granted emergency use listings for the Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.