China claims Sinovac booster 94% potent against Omicron after 2 shots prove ineffective

Chinese biotech company Sinovac on Thursday claimed that its third dose of COVID-19 vaccine offers 94% efficacy against the new COVID variant Omicron. The research, self-conducted by Sinovac, displayed that the vaccine had doubled the neutralising antibody positive rate against Omicron, Global Times reported. The study comes after the University of Hong Kong found that two doses of the Sinovac vaccine failed to generate the desired antibody response against the fast-spreading variant.

According to a statement obtained by Nikkei Asia, Sinovac conducted the study on 20 people who received two shots and another 48 who were administered three shots. As many as 7 in the first group and 45 in the second showed neutralising antibodies against the Omicron in their system. Earlier, a research team led by Yuen Kwok-yung from the University of Hong Kong published a paper, concluding that Sinovac's vaccine effectiveness, along with Pfizer and BioNTech, drops against the Omicron.

94% tested positive for antibodies

Clearing the doubts over its studies, the Chinese Sinovac said that its own laboratory showed at least seven out of the 20 in the first lot received two CoronaVac jabs displayed neutralising antibodies. The rate translates to about 35%. Additionally, 45 among the 48 other recipients of three doses also tested positive for neutralising antibodies against the Omicron variant, Nikkei Asia reported. The study was based on two Omicron strain samples obtained from Hong Kong. The company also told Chinese media that it is conducting further studies, including testing serum samples with different antibody levels to comprehensively evaluate CoronaVac efficacy against the new strain.  

"These results suggest that the third dose of Sinovac's vaccine was effective in improving the serum neutralization against the omicron virus strain," Nikkei Asia reported, quoting the company's statement.

It is pertinent to mention that CoronaVac is one of the two China-based vaccinations against COVID-19 approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The company has so far supplied 808 million doses to 44 countries, as per figures by Beijing-based Bridge Consulting. Sinovac's claims also come after WHO on Wednesday raised concerns over the vaccine efficacy against Omicron and informed that preliminary evidence suggested existing vaccines might be less effective against the new 'Variant of Concern'. The apex health care body also added that it requires more data to determine the risk of the natural or artificial immune evasiveness capacity of Omicron.

Omicron cases around the world

As per WHO, infections related to the Omicron variant have been reported from 77 countries after it was first reported from South Africa's Gauteng province in early November. Britain, on Monday, recorded it's the first death from the new COVID-19 strain. China also reported two cases on Tuesday. India too reported 10 new cases of Omicron on Friday, taking the total tally to 83.

(Image: AP)