The level of efficacy provided by the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine is compatible with that required by the World Health Organisation, the chairman of a WHO panel said.
Alejandro Cravioto’s comments were based on data provided by the Chinese manufacturer in a closed-door meeting to WHO experts last week.
The meeting also discussed the efficacy of Sinovac, another Chinese-made vaccine, against Covid-19.
Covid-19 was deemed such a severe disease, that if a vaccine is only 50 per cent effective, it's still worth using.
Dr Cravioto said the information shared during the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts meeting “clearly indicates that they have levels of efficacy that would be compatible with the requirements that WHO has asked for this vaccine”.
“That means about 50 per cent [efficacy] and preferably close to, or above 70 per cent and of course, they have all the safety data to show that this vaccine would cause no harm in humans when used,” he said.
The vaccines have not yet received WHO approval.
WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said last month that Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines could receive WHO emergency listing "quite soon".
A decision is expected by the end of April.
The Sinopharm vaccine factory in China
Dr Cravioto said the vaccines would first require emergency use listing from the WHO, or from a body considered by the organisation as a “stringent regulatory authority”, before Sage experts can make recommendations about their use.
“The 50 per cent efficacy threshold set for Covid-19 vaccines is because Covid-19 was deemed such a severe disease, that if a vaccine is only 50 per cent effective, it’s still worth using,” said Dr Lee Hampton, a paediatrician and medical epidemiologist with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in an online explainer by WHO about Covid-19 vaccine efficacy.
A study in Brazil showed Sinovac's vaccine to be 50.4 per cent effective.
Sinopharm, the most widely available vaccine in the UAE, was found to be 86 per cent effective in preventing infections in local trials.
The manufacturer later revised this to 79 per cent, after studies in several countries.
Emirati officials, however, said Sinopharm had proved to be 100 per cent effective against the development of serious disease – an important metric.
Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chairwoman of the National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee, told a conference on the Covid-19 response in the UAE that there were no critical care admissions or deaths among those who had been vaccinated in Abu Dhabi.
People who were infected after taking both doses of the vaccine were mostly asymptomatic or presented only mild symptoms, she said.
Efficacy of other vaccines
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, one of two in use against Covid-19 using new mRNA technology, surprised many scientists by offering 95 per cent protection against the virus.
But it does not prevent severe disease completely.
In the Phase 3 Pfizer trial, there were 10 severe cases of Covid-19, one of which occurred in the vaccine group.
The vaccine has, however, been extremely effective in the real world, with at least 97 per cent protection against symptomatic Covid-19 cases, admission to hospital, severe and critical cases and deaths in Israel.
Other vaccines found to protect against severe Covid-19 complications include AstraZeneca and Moderna, which both offered 100 per cent protection against severe disease in trials.
Sinopharm has not yet released detailed Phase 3 data on the vaccine’s efficacy in a peer-reviewed journal, like other manufacturers such as Pfizer or Sputnik.
Groom and Two Brides
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
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The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
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Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
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What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
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There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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