(Bloomberg) — Data indicating that the Sinovac Biotech Ltd. covid-19 vaccine is less effective than an mRNA vaccine in preventing death in older people in Hong Kong are a red flag for mainland China, where infections are on the rise and a large part of the population is inoculated with the inactivated vaccine.
Nearly 3% of people aged 80 and older who received two doses of the inactivated CoronaVac vaccine died after becoming infected, compared to 1.5% of those who received the BioNTech SE vaccine, according to a preliminary analysis by the Center for Health Protection. Receiving only one dose of either offered less protection, as 5.8% of those who received CoronaVac and 3.4% of those who received the mRNA vaccine subsequently died.
The data are based on the first 5,435 deaths in the current outbreak and showed that the overall mortality rate was only 0.09% for those who received two doses of vaccines, regardless of age.
Hong Kongers can choose between the two vaccines, and about 80% of its oldest residents have received Sinovac. The group remains insufficiently vaccinated and accounts for more than 70 per cent of all deaths. Sinovac did not immediately respond to requests for comment by phone and WeChat.
This is a worrying trend for mainland China, which has not approved an mRNA vaccine and where only half of the population aged 80 and over is fully vaccinated. The nation is already struggling to contain its worst outbreak in two years without causing serious disruptions to its economic growth, even as officials resort to typical covid zero measures, such as mass testing and strict lockdowns.
The prospect of older people lacking sufficient protection through vaccination risks further delaying the reopening of the second largest economy in the world. Over the weekend, the country recorded its first deaths from covid in more than a year: a man aged 60 and another in 80, one of whom was not vaccinated.
Mainland China also wants to avoid repeating Hong Kong's missteps, where daily cases soared to more than 50,000 and overwhelmed health care resources. The city had to treat people outside hospitals, while local media reported that body bags were left next to patients' beds as morgues no longer had more capacity.
Chinese officials recently called on the country's elderly to be vaccinated against covid and cited the high mortality rate among the elderly and the unvaccinated elsewhere, especially in Hong Kong, as warnings. Officials committed to reaching out to key groups and nursing homes to address concerns they have about the safety and effect of covid vaccines.
Still, the figures show that either vaccine was much better than nothing. Among those over 80 years of age, 15% of those who were not immunized died after contracting the virus. The Government released the information after the local daily Ming Pao reported on immunization rates among the city's fatalities.
Original Note:
Sinovac's Low Efficacy in Hong Kong Is a Worrying Sign for China
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