The Chinese biopharmaceutical company, Sinovac has initiated three clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine for those aged between six months and 17 years that will start from Friday, September 10.
According to IOL, this new vaccine study will see more than 2 000 South African children and teenagers take part in it, as the first child is expected to be vaccinated at the MeCRU Clinical Research Unit on Friday.
The children, participating in the trial will reportedly receive two doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine or a placebo, 27 days apart, after it was approved by South African drugs regulator Sahpra, IOL reports further.
A statement issued on Thursday, September 9, Numolux indicated that the primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of CoronaVac against confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 cases in children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years. Efficacy will also be evaluated against hospitalization and severe COVID-19 cases, News 24 reported.
Meanwhile, the worldwide study will enrol 14 000 children and adolescents in various pediatric age group cohorts across 5 countries (South Africa, Chile, Philippines, Malaysia and Kenya). Numolux has also partnered with 7 clinical research sites across the country to enrol 2000 participants from 6 months to 17 years.
South Africa also reported 7,338 new cases of COVID-19 taking the total reported to 2,836,773. Deaths have also reached 84,152, while recoveries have climbed to 2,618,386.
A s of today the cumulative number of #COVID19 cases identified in SA is 2 843 with 6 270 new cases reported. Today 175 deaths have been reported bringing the total to 84 327 deaths. The cumulative number of recoveries now stand at 2 637 706 with a recovery rate of 92,8% pic.twitter.com/UbEIEcffLn
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) September 9, 2021
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Picture: Cape{town} etc gallery