Beijing
The China’s National Health Commission has said that fifteen vaccines utilizing five different technologies are under clinical trials in China. Five are in final stage human trials in countries like the UAE, Brazil and Pakistan.
“After stringent monitoring and observation, no serious adverse event has occurred. About 60 thousand recipients went to high-risk areas abroad for work, so far serious infections have not been reported,” Zheng Zhongwei, Director, Medical Sci & Tech Development Center, NHC said in an interview.
With these results, the country is planning to vaccinate larger groups this winter. Priority will be given to workers in cold chain logistics, customs, seafood markets, public transportation, disease control areas, and those who go to high-risk areas.
When vaccines are approved for the larger market, and more vaccines become available, they’ll be rolled out for the general public. But people are still being told to wear masks after injection, according to China Global Television Network (CGTN).
Zeng Yixin, deputy director, NHC, said, “It’s hard to say how long it’ll remain effective. But there is some information already, in clinical trials started this March. We have seen a constant presence of antibodies in the vaccine volunteers. Many medical institutes have also been monitoring recovered COVID-19 patients, and found antibodies can be present for as long as ten months. This evidence has shown that China’s COVID-19 vaccines have met the WHO’s vaccine validity period requirements of over six months.
Meanwhile, it’s still necessary for people to keep following prevention measures even after vaccination, including mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing.” Authorities say after the trials are completed, if the vaccine’s performance meets the required standards, the National Medical Products Administration will approve it for market use. The government also says it’s prepared for mass production.
Countries worldwide banned arrivals from the UK on Sunday over a new highly infectious coronavirus strain Britain said was “out of control”, as the WHO called for stronger containment measures. But there was positive news across the Atlantic where US lawmakers reached a deal for a nearly $900 billion Covid-19 financial package to help struggling Americans.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was to chair the COBR emergencies committee on Monday, his office said, after a slew of nations from Turkey to Canada blocked arrivals from Britain by air. Crucial transit country France moved to block people and goods crossing the Channel, while the Netherlands said passengers arriving by ferry would be denied entry. The emergency committee would “discuss the situation regarding international travel, in particular the steady flow of freight into and out of the UK,” a spokesman said.
The ban on all but unaccompanied freight crossing to France comes as companies scramble to shift merchandise with days to go until Britain finally quits European Union trade structures in the wake of Brexit. Late Sunday, Britain’s critical south coast port at Dover said it was closing to all accompanied freight and passengers due to the French border restrictions “until further notice”.—APP
