SANTIAGO -- The COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd is 80 percent effective against death from the disease, showed a recent real-world study in Chile.

The Sinovac vaccine is also 67 percent effective in preventing symptomatic infection, 85 percent effective in preventing hospitalizations and 89 percent in preventing patients from entering intensive care units, according to the study released by the Chilean government on Friday.

Rodrigo Yanez, Chile's vice trade minister who forged a deal with Sinovac to host the clinical trial of the vaccine, told media that the data showed Chile had made "the right bet."

Speaking to Reuters, Yanez said, "It's a game changer for that vaccine and I think it ratifies quite graphically the discussion over its efficacy."