WHO Grants Emergency Use Authorization for AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine

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[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The World Health Organization (WHO) on the 15th (local time) approved the emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford in the UK. The vaccine, which is contract-manufactured by South Korea's SK Bioscience and India's Serum Institute (SII), was authorized for use respectively.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, announced in a virtual press briefing that the AstraZeneca vaccine produced under contract by SK Bioscience and SII has been added to the emergency use listing.

Director-General Ghebreyesus explained that the two versions were approved separately because "although both companies produce the same vaccine, they manufacture it at different facilities, so separate reviews and approvals were necessary."

With this approval, the distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the international project for joint procurement and allocation of COVID-19 vaccines led by WHO, the 'COVAX facility,' is expected to proceed soon. AstraZeneca is a major supplier for COVAX, which plans to deliver 336 million doses of this vaccine to participating countries in the first half of this year.

While some countries, including South Korea, have paused AstraZeneca vaccinations for the elderly, WHO has authorized vaccination for all age groups. The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), WHO’s immunization advisory group, announced on the 10th that the AstraZeneca vaccine is recommended for use without age restrictions for adults aged 18 and over.

WHO Director-General Ghebreyesus stated, "(This approval) was completed within just four weeks from the time WHO received the full documentation from the manufacturer," and explained, "WHO’s emergency use listing evaluates and ensures the quality, safety, and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines." He added, "We need to increase vaccine production," and urged, "We continue to call on vaccine developers to submit relevant documents not only to high-income countries but also to WHO."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.