Over 600 Chinese nationals have been vaccinated with China’s Sinopharm vaccine after it was granted permission by the Ministry of Health in April to inoculate Chinese nationals. 

In a response to Samoa Observer email queries, the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Apia, Zhang Muyue confirmed the use of the Sinopharm vaccine in Samoa.

“The COVID-19 vaccines for Chinese citizens in Samoa are from China's largest drugmaker Sinopharm, which has been qualified and approved for emergency use by World Health Organization,” she said.

“The Sinopharm vaccine was granted permission by M.O.H on April 21st to enter and be administered in Samoa on the following grounds: Sinopharm vaccine is provided for the use for Chinese nationals residing in Samoa only, and will not be used for Samoan citizens.”

"Samoan side is not responsible for the administration of the Sinopharm vaccine or responsible for the treatment of any serious adverse effects as a result of the administration of the Sinopharm vaccine.

“Up to now, the vaccines have been rolled out to over 600 Chinese citizens (Chinese passport holders) in Samoa. Chinese side shouldered all expenses incurred.”

The Sinopharm vaccine is produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd, which is a subsidiary of China National Biotec Group.

The vaccine is one of two main Chinese coronavirus vaccines that have been given to hundreds of millions of people in China and various other states.

A 7 May 2021 W.H.O media release said the Sinopharm product was an inactivated vaccine with easy storage requirements that made it highly suitable for low-resource settings.

It is also the first vaccine that will carry a vaccine vial monitor, a small sticker on the vaccine vials that change color as the vaccine is exposed to heat, letting health workers know whether the vaccine remains safe to be used.

The W.H.O. Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (S.A.G.E.) has also completed its review of the vaccine.

On the basis of all available evidence, the W.H.O. recommends the vaccine for adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with spacing out of doses of between three to four weeks.

The vaccine’s efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalised patients with the disease was estimated to be 79 per cent, all age groups combined.

Few older adults (over 60 years) were enrolled in clinical trials so the efficacy could not be estimated for this age group.  

Nevertheless, the W.H.O. is not recommending an upper age limit for the vaccine as preliminary data and supportive immunogenicity data suggest the vaccine is likely to have a protective effect in older persons.  

There is no theoretical reason to believe that the vaccine has a different safety profile in older and younger populations.  

The W.H.O therefore recommends that countries using the vaccine in older age groups conduct safety and effective monitoring to make the recommendation more robust.

Questions have been sent to the M.O.H. Director-General Leausa Take Naseri seeking his comment for this story.