China allows emergency usage of COVID-19 vaccines

China has officially authorised emergency usage of Covid-19 vaccines developed by some select domestic companies, a Chinese health official informed.

According to Chinese vaccine management law, unapproved vaccine candidates can be authorized for emergency use among people who are at high risk of getting infected in a limited period.

Experimental vaccines that are still in the phase of clinical trials can be used among frontline workers like medical and epidemic prevention personnel, border officers and other people working in stable city operations in order to curb serious diseases.

On Saturday, Zheng Zhongwei, head of China's coronavirus vaccine development task force announced,"We've drawn up a series of plan packages, including medical consent forms, side-effects monitoring plans, rescuing plans, compensation plans, to make sure that the emergency use is well regulated and monitored,"

According to China's Law on Vaccine Management, when a particularly severe public health emergency occurs, vaccines in clinical trials can be used in a limited scope to protect medical and epidemic prevention personnel, border officers and other people working in stable city operations, Zheng said.

Also read: India enters race for Covid-19 vaccine plan with global players

Zheng mentioned that for the next step of preventing a possible outbreak this autumn and winter, vaccines' availability will be extended to people working in food markets, transport systems and services industries.
The number of people being vaccinated on an urgent basis may reach hundreds of thousands across China, considering that personnel in wider sectors are being offered free injections, said Tao Lina, a Shanghai-based immunology expert, on Sunday.
"But it's difficult to give an accurate figure since the Chinese military has begun mass vaccinations but has not released details," Tao said..

According to the National Health Commission, the Chinese mainland reported 16 new imported COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 2,418.

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