Here s what has been on record as far as Chinese vaccines are concerned
China wants us to take its vaccines and in return promises to offer certain conveniences when we visit China.
The message is simple: take our vaccine and enjoy a streamlined visa process in return.
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But which vaccines is China even offering?
Is it Sinovac, whose CEO was once found to be bribing China s drug regulator for approvals?
Or is it Sinopharm, which was called one of the most unsafe vaccines with 73 side effects by a Chinese doctor?
Sinovac, Sinopharm, CanSino Biologics and Anhui Zhifei Longcom are the four vaccines China is offering to the world.
Unlike their Western competitors, the Chinese companies have not disclosed data from late-stage clinical trials that would show whether their vaccines are effective, and regulators in China have not officially approved them.
That has not deterred local governments across the country, which have begun an ambitious vaccination campaign. The goal is to inoculate 50 million people - roughly the population of Colombia - by the middle of February, before the Chinese New Year holiday, when hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel.
China, where the virus first emerged a year ago, is going to great - and scientifically unorthodox - lengths to prevent a resurgence of the outbreak. While Beijing has not officially announced the vaccine target, the government has signalled the roll-out will be managed in much the same way as the outbreak, through a top-down approach that can mobilise thousands of workers to produce, ship and administer the shots.