Anvisa greenlights CoronaVac for kids aged 3 to 5

Brazil’s federal health regulator Anvisa on Wednesday authorized the emergency use of the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine on 3-to-5-year-olds. Sold under the brand name CoronaVac, the immunizer was the first to be rolled out in Brazil.

Butantan, a São Paulo-based biological institute which produces CoronaVac in Brazil, first sought authorization for the vaccine for children and teenagers back in July 2021. Anvisa rejected the request at the time, claiming that the data provided by the institute was insufficient to prove its security and efficacy.

In December 2021, Anvisa approved Pfizer’s Covid vaccine for children aged 5 to 11. The first batches of doses arrived in January. That same month,...