The World Health Organization has listed Moderna’s (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, the agency said on Friday, the fifth to be given the status meant to expedite countries’ own approval of shots. The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) already in January had recommended Moderna’s vaccine for all age groups 18 and above. Pfizer (PFN.N) and its German partner BionTech’s (22UAy.DE) shot, also an mRNA vaccine like Moderna’s, was the first vaccine to get a WHO emergency use listing in the final hours of 2020. Since then, the WHO has added vaccines from Astrazeneca-SK Bio, Serum Institute of India and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) vaccines to the list. The Geneva-based health organization is still considering COVID-19 vaccines from Sinopharm (1099.HK) and Sinovac (SVA.O) following an extended review, with decisions due by the end of next week.

Source: The Nation May 01, 2021 06:33 UTC