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China approves Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, promises free shots for all citizens
https://edition.cnn.com/profiles/nectar-gan
By Nectar Gan, CNN
Updated 0951 GMT (1751 HKT) December 31, 2020
(CNN)China approved its first homegrown coronavirus vaccine for general public use on Thursday, with officials promising to provide the general public with free inoculations.
The approval comes a day after its manufacturer, state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, said the vaccine is 79.34% effective, citing interim analysis of Phase 3 clinical trials.
Though no detailed efficacy data for the vaccine has been released, the decision to grant approval underscores claims made by Chinese officials in recent weeks over the safety and effectiveness of the country's domestically produced vaccine candidates.
China is aiming to inoculate 50 million people with domestic Covid-19 vaccines ahead of February's Lunar New Year celebrations. It has also drastically scaled up its vaccine emergency use program in recent weeks.
Zeng Yixin, vice-minister of China's National Health Commission, said at a news conference Thursday that the Sinopharm vaccine will be provided free of charge to Chinese citizens.
"Vaccine is a public good by its nature, and the price may vary based on the scale of use, but an important premise is that it will be provided to the public for free," Zeng said.
Since December 15, more than 3 million vaccine doses have been administered to "key groups," Zeng said. That's on top of the 1.5 million doses administered to "high-risk groups" by the end of November, he added.
Among those inoculated, fewer than 0.1% developed a light fever, and about two people per million developed "relative serious adverse reactions" such as allergies, according to Zeng.
The next step is to inoculate vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with underlying diseases, before vaccinating the general population, Zeng said, without offering more details on how the vaccines will be provided for free.
edition.cnn.com
https://edition.cnn.com/profiles/nectar-gan
By Nectar Gan, CNN
Updated 0951 GMT (1751 HKT) December 31, 2020
(CNN)China approved its first homegrown coronavirus vaccine for general public use on Thursday, with officials promising to provide the general public with free inoculations.
The approval comes a day after its manufacturer, state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, said the vaccine is 79.34% effective, citing interim analysis of Phase 3 clinical trials.
Though no detailed efficacy data for the vaccine has been released, the decision to grant approval underscores claims made by Chinese officials in recent weeks over the safety and effectiveness of the country's domestically produced vaccine candidates.
China is aiming to inoculate 50 million people with domestic Covid-19 vaccines ahead of February's Lunar New Year celebrations. It has also drastically scaled up its vaccine emergency use program in recent weeks.
Zeng Yixin, vice-minister of China's National Health Commission, said at a news conference Thursday that the Sinopharm vaccine will be provided free of charge to Chinese citizens.
"Vaccine is a public good by its nature, and the price may vary based on the scale of use, but an important premise is that it will be provided to the public for free," Zeng said.
Since December 15, more than 3 million vaccine doses have been administered to "key groups," Zeng said. That's on top of the 1.5 million doses administered to "high-risk groups" by the end of November, he added.
Among those inoculated, fewer than 0.1% developed a light fever, and about two people per million developed "relative serious adverse reactions" such as allergies, according to Zeng.
The next step is to inoculate vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with underlying diseases, before vaccinating the general population, Zeng said, without offering more details on how the vaccines will be provided for free.
China approves Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, promises free shots for all citizens | CNN
China approved its first homegrown coronavirus vaccine for general public use on Thursday, with officials promising to provide the general public with free inoculations.
