SANTIAGO – Six months ago, 2,300 volunteers received the Sinovac vaccine, to test its efficacy. Now, the study shows that only 2 percent were infected by COVID-19. Moreover, only 3 people needed hospitalization
A study by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC)regarding the effectiveness of Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine was presented by the Health and Science Ministries, as reported by news outlet La Tercera.
The results
Out of 2,300 volunteers who received the vaccine, only 45 tested positive for coronavirus, which represents just 2 percent of the subjects. Most experienced only mild symptoms. In addition, only 3 volunteers required hospital care, all of them were older and had comorbidities, but they nevertheless successfully recovered, too.
This study, named “CoronaVac03CL,” also showed a neutralizing effect on the virus’s original mutation and a partially-neutralizing effect on other variants, such as the Alpha, Gamma, and Beta, according to PUC’s website.
Dr. Susan Bueno, a researcher from the Milenio Immunology and Immunotherapy Institute (IMII), and scientific director for this study, said “we confirmed that CoronaVac promotes the immune system generating antibodies against several of SARS-CoV-2’s components, since the vaccine is based on the full viral particle. This kind of response would be harder to avoid for the virus.”
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Booster shot?
After six months of this study, the subjects are still having a detectable immune response, which suggests the vaccine’s high effectiveness. However, the research suggests that the response is lower.
Dr. Alexis Kalergis, IMII’s director, said that “the immunity induced by the vaccine would have a protective effect against the prevailing variants, even though it is partial. However, the natural decrease of the antibodies after vaccination would accentuate the need to strengthen the immunity with reinforcement doses, to compensate and boost the virus’s neutralization.”
A third dose of vaccine is still being evaluated by the Health Ministry, especially as to the Sinovac vaccine, because it is the one that most in Chile have had.
As of July 9 this year, only 10 people are known to have received a third dose of vaccine as an extraordinary measure for their immunosuppressive conditions.
Javiera is from Santiago de Chile, she is studying journalism at Universidad de Chile, since 2017 and doing her internship at Chile Today.