BIBP’s COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for Use in Children Aged 3 to 11 in Argentina

On October 1 local time, Carla Vizzotti, Argentine Minister of Health, announced that the National Administration of Drugs, Foods and Medical Technology of Argentina (ANMAT) has officially approved the vaccination of children aged 3 to 11 in Argentina with the Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell) developed and produced by Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd. (BIBP), China National Biotec Group Company Limited (CNBG), Sinopharm (hereinafter referred to as “BIBP’s COVID-19 vaccine”).

      Vizzotti noted that BIBP’s COVID-19 Vaccine was one of the safest COVID-19 vaccines available at present. Therefore, Argentine children vaccinating with this vaccine would not only protect their safety, but also effectively curb the spread of the epidemic. He said that the Argentine government hoped to get all Argentines vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of 2021.

     In addition, from October 1, Argentina lifted the mandatory quarantine regulations on wearing masks outdoors and further relaxed the number of people allowed to gather in indoor public places and public events, including allowing the number of spectators at football matches to increase to 50% of the capacity, but at the same time, adult spectators are required to provide proof of having received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

      Children and adolescents are the key population groups for construction of an immunologic barrier. A randomized, double-blinded, parallel placebo-controlled Phase I/II clinical trial was conducted by BIBP to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of its inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in healthy people aged 3 to 17, which was published in the international medical journal the Lancet Infectious Diseases on September 15. The study showed that the vaccine was safe and well tolerated at all dose levels for subjects aged 3 to 17. A strong immune response against COVID-19 could be triggered after vaccination with two doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. 

      After being demonstrated by the related department of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, two types of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine from BIBP and Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd. have been approved for emergency use for people aged 3 to 17 in China in July and August 2021, respectively.

       On August 2, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) approved to use the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine produced by CNBG Sinopharm in children aged 3 to 17 in UAE. 

     On August 17, the Kingdom of Bahrain's Vaccination Committee approved the vaccination with COVID-19 vaccine produced by CNBG Sinopharm for children aged 3 to 11 with complications and hypoimmunity. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Bahrain also approved the use of the vaccine for people aged 12 to 17.