China plans to approve the first foreign vaccine against COVID-19 by July, and the drug developed by Germany's BioNTech may receive the green light, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing informed sources
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2021) China plans to approve the first foreign vaccine against COVID-19 by July, and the drug developed by Germany's BioNTech may receive the green light, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing informed sources.
According to the media outlet, the Chinese authorities have been studying the data of clinical trials of the BioNtech vaccine and approval for domestic distribution of the drug may be given within the next ten weeks.
Chinese vaccine manufacturers say that their shots are close to 100% effective in preventing COVID-19 cases in a heavy form, though some local public health experts believe that Western vaccines are better at preventing infections with mild symptoms, the publication said.
The decision on approval of a foreign vaccine also partially depends on overseas approval of Chinese vaccines, according to the publication's sources.
The Chinese authorities have approved four vaccines by Sinovac, Sinopharm and CanSino Biologics. In March, China's top respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan stated that Beijing plans to inoculate 40 percent of the population against COVID-19 by June 2021.
