China Biotech Bulletin #10
More on China's emergency vaccines, and what if Beijing gets to a vaccine first?
Last week Chinese newsgroup Caixin reported that health authorities have been giving emergency COVID-19 vaccines to medical workers and at-risk groups since July.
China has not specified how many people have been vaccinated or which product has been given. (NYT/Reuters)
This comes after China's military approved the use of CanSino's vaccine, in June, while state media reported in June that employees at state-owned firms travelling overseas were allowed to take one of the two candidate vaccines being developed by CNBG. (NYT/Reuters)
In the wake of this announcement, China approved two more vaccines from Sinovac Biotech and China National Biotec Group (CNBG) for emergency use. (Reuters)
This comes after Russia approved a vaccine for emergency use, despite it not having completed Phase III trials. China had previously shown more support for Russia’s efforts compared to the US, and the state-sponsored Global Times quoted Tao Lina, “a Shanghai-based vaccine researcher,” who said “it is unnecessary to be overly concerned” over Russia’s early distribution.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government and companies continue to work on partnering with developing countries in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. (SCMP, The Edge Markets, WSJ)
China has hit snags, however, in partnerships with Western countries such as Canada, where heightened tensions are limiting countries’ willingness to work with China. (Bloomberg)
The US, for its part, has refused to join a WHO initiative to distribute a vaccine due to alleged Chinese corrupt influences, even as US companies pursue international partnerships. (The Guardian, Forbes)
What if China gets to a vaccine first?
“U.S. prestige could falter, the administration could take deadly risks, the world will have to rethink its alliances — and those are just a few of the possibilities.” (Politico)
The US may not be prepared enough for distribution of either an American-made or a foreign-made vaccine, on the testing, distribution, and storage fronts. (The Atlantic, MarketWatch, Politico)