After encouraging trial results, São Paulo Governor pushes for vaccine in December

According to São Paulo authorities, phase-3 trials of a potential coronavirus vaccine produced by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech have proven to be safe. The development of the so-called CoronaVac is being conducted in partnership with São Paulo’s Butantan Biological Institute — and the state could receive as many as 60 million doses by February 2021.

Butantan chief Dimas Covas and a representative from the Chinese company said the vaccine had no adverse effects in 94.7 percent of the 50,000 volunteers. According to them, only 0.03 percent of patients felt side effects such as a lack of appetite, migraines, fatigue, and high fever.

“These results prove that the CoronaVac is extremely safe,” said Governor João Doria — who added that vaccination could start as early as mid-December.

The Chinese potential vaccine is currently being tested in ten countries. In Brazil, 5,600 out of 9,000 volunteers in 12 research centers have already received at least one of two doses. If the results are positive, the São Paulo state government may request authorization from federal sanitary authorities to produce and distribute the vaccine.

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