Chinese City To Offer Its Inhabitants Experimental Vaccine

Jiaxing city's authorities proposed the use of a low-cost experimental COVID-19 vaccine that could be distributed to people between 18 and 59 years old in “urgent” situations.

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This antiviral drug has already been distributed to people who work in ports, hospitals or other risk areas. The vaccine is manufactured by the private company Sinovac Biotech and has a cost of US$30 per dose.

To be immunized against the new coronavirus, each patient must receive two doses, each of which must be administered 28 days apart.

“It was not clear if Jiaxing city’s pricing includes subsidies,” outlet Pan Pacific Agency commented and explained that the Sinovac's "CoronaVac" is already in late-stage trials in Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey.

So far, China has reported the existence of 11 vaccines that began clinical trials, among them are four drugs that are already undergoing advanced phase three trials. Nevertheless, none of them have been approved for massive commercialization yet.

“The government approved some of the candidate vaccines for emergency use, ensuring that no serious adverse reactions had been reported,” outlet 24Matins recalled.

In September, Chinese health authorities said that their country hopes to produce about 610 million doses of affordable COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the year.

Prior to Jiaxing city's announcement, the China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) said that it could offer a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for US$149.