Will slow approval of BioNTech and other foreign vaccines block China from reopening its borders?
- 200,000 of 845,000 foreigners living in the mainland have had the jab but many may be holding out for a foreign shot
- Little data on Sinopharm, Sinovac efficacy in high-incidence areas as they were introduced when infectious rates ‘near zero’, expert says
This is the fourth in a series about China’s plans to reopen its borders amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In this instalment, Zhuang Pinghui looks into the status of China’s approvals of foreign vaccines.
Of the 845,000 foreigners living in mainland China, fewer than 25 per cent – or 200,000 – had been vaccinated against Covid-19 as of early June.
“A large percentage of members are taking the local vaccines but there’s also discussion about wanting to have the choice of a foreign vaccine, presumably the vaccine by BioNTech,” Ker Gibbs said.
“They do see the foreign vaccine giving them more flexibility with respect to travelling internationally, within Europe, within the US, going to venues that ask if you’re vaccinated or not. Over 50 countries have recognised the BioNTech vaccine as being safe and effective, but right now China is the outlier.”
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Inside a plant in China producing the WHO-approved Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine
But despite achieving a high vaccination rate compared to other countries, the ambitious roll-out – 945 million doses administered as of Wednesday – has only included jabs developed by domestic companies so far.