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Coronavirus live news: global cases near 30m as India's death toll passes 80,000


Wu Guizhen, head of biosafety at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said she expected Chinese vaccines for Covid-19 would soon be available to the public as soon as November or December.

Speaking to state broadcaster CCTV, Wu said: “It will be very soon. The progress is currently very smooth.”

China, the world’s largest producer of vaccines, accounts for nine of the 30 vaccines currently undergoing human trials. Last week, the University of Hong Kong, working with mainland Chinese researchers, said a nasal spray vaccine was entering clinical trials.

Thousands of Chinese residents have been given experimental vaccines made by Chinese companies, including China National Biotec Group, a subsidiary of the state-owned Sinopharm, and Sinovac Biotech. In June, authorities approved using an experimental vaccine on those in the military and in July, medical workers and others in “high risk jobs” have been given vaccines.

As the global vaccine race heats up, China has promised to give its partners access to its treatment, prompting worries over vaccines being used as a diplomatic or political tool.

At home, health experts have said that not everyone will need to be vaccinated. Over the weekend, Gao Fu, director of China’s CDC said medical workers, Chinese nationals in overseas virus hotspots, and others would be prioritised.

Gao, along with Wu have both been given experimental vaccines. Wu, speaking on CCTV, said she took one in April. “In the past few months I have felt very good. There’s been no change. And when I received the vaccine there was no local pain,” she said.



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