Chile approves China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for children due to safety, efficacy: health official

Chile approved the vaccination of children aged six and over with the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech on Sept. 6, because it met safety and efficacy standards, according to a top Chilean health official Tuesday.

Since Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine is made with an inactivated virus, "it is by far the safest vaccine from the point of view of reactogenicity," and has reported the least adverse reactions, said Heriberto Garcia, director of Chile's Institute of Public Health (ISP).

Garcia, who is a pharmaceutical chemist, pointed out that the vaccine additionally presents "good efficacy," and the results of efficacy studies have been "quite auspicious."

The expert added he appreciated the accessibility of the Chinese vaccine, with "a constant supply" arriving in the South American country.