Sinovac vaccine 50.7% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 cases

A nurse receives a dose of the Sinovac's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, after Brazil health regulator Anvisa approved its emergency use at Hospital das Clinicas in Sao Paulo, Brazil January 17, 2021. /Reuters

CoronaVac, an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd., was shown to be 50.7% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 cases, according to new trial results revealed by Brazil's state-runButantan Institute on Sunday.

The jab was also found to be equally effective against the two coronavirus variants known as P.1 and P.2, which were populated in Brazilian cities including Manausand Rio de Janeiro.

The study, which the institute said had been sent to the medical journal The Lancet for publication, tested 12,400 volunteers across Brazil.

(With input from Reuters)