Kuala Lumpur: COVID-19 tests are needed for those receiving Sinovac shots says the Singapore Ministry of Health.
The tests apply to those who get other vaccines that are not part of Singapore’s national vaccine program.
However, those who receive the mRNA vaccine shots from Pfizer and Moderna do not have to go through the tests.
The Independent Singapore says the issue at hand is vaccines’ effectiveness against the variants of the COVID-19 infection. There are fears that Sinovac is not fully effective against the virulent Delta variant.
A report from Reuters cites research that shows antibodies triggered by Chinese COVID-19 shots less effective on the Delta variant.
However, the news report from Reuters dated Jun 25 says Sinovac can still provide a measure of protection.
A Chinese disease control researcher told state media China Central Television the vaccines fell into the category of inactivated vaccines, which contain “killed” coronavirus that cannot replicate in human cells.
A Chinese disease control researcher told state media China Central Television the vaccines fell into the category of inactivated vaccines, which contain “killed” coronavirus that cannot replicate in human cells.
INACTIVATED VACCINES
Five out of the seven developed vaccines in China are inactivated vaccines. They include shots from Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm. These two jabs are used in countries such as Brazil, Bahrain and Chile.
In Malaysia, Pharmaniaga is receiving supply of Sinovac in bulk. That is 14 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine manufactured in the country of origin and transported in large quantities for filling into vials, ampoules or prefilled syringe vaccines.
The inactivated vaccine (or killed vaccine), is a vaccine consisting of virus particles that have been grown in culture but they lost disease-producing capacity.
Read the Full Press Release From Pharmaniaga here:
Pharmaniaga Sinovac Batch Manufacturing
Photo: Unsplash
