ANKARA, Dec 24 (Reuters) – A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese Sinovac Biotech is 91.25% effective and the rate is expected to increase based on data from late-stage tests, Turkish researchers said on Thursday, when the country becomes the second test site to produce results for the Chinese candidate.
The researchers, part of the government’s scientific council, said that no major symptoms were detected during CoronaVac tests in Turkey, except for one person who had an allergic reaction.
Turkey agreed to purchase 50 million doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac by December 11, but the shipment has been delayed. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the vaccines would arrive in Turkey on Monday, adding that Turkey would vaccinate about 9 million people in the first group, starting with health professionals. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Alex Richardson)