Despite not having clinical trials not being completed, essential workers in China have been given Chinese-developed vaccines, writes the Daily Maverick. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had reportedly held the first talks aimed at getting the Chinese COVID vaccine. Socorro Escalate, WHO’s coordinator for essential medicines and health technologies in the Western Pacific region, said:
“Potentially through this emergency use listing the quality and safety of these vaccines and efficacy could be assessed. ..and then this could be made available for our licensees.”
The Daily Maverick continues:
China has at least four experimental vaccines in the final stage of clinical trials – two are developed by state-backed China National Biotec Group (CNBG), and the remaining two are from Sinovac Biotech and CanSino Biologics respectively.
They are tested in such countries as Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.
Last month, the UAE authorized the emergency use of a CNBG vaccine, the first international emergency clearance for one of China’s vaccines, just six weeks after human trials began in the Gulf Arab state.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said last month it would prioritise China and Russia in his country’s global shopping for a vaccine.
