China has vowed to further help African countries boost their vaccination drive, which Chinese observers said could significantly strengthen the continent s immunological barrier against the COVID-19 pandemic and tackle serious global vaccine inequality. The emergence of the new variant Omicron, which was first detected in South Africa, once again highlights the dire consequences of vaccine inequality in developing countries, especially in Africa, where only 6 percent of its population have been fully vaccinated.
China to offer US$3bil to developing countries for Covid-19 response: Xi at Global Health Summit thestar.com.my - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thestar.com.my Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
China will provide an additional $3 billion in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday.
CHINA / SOCIETY
By Cui Fandi and Leng Shumei Published: Apr 03, 2021 10:10 PM
A box of China s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine is seen in Budapest, Hungary, Feb. 28, 2021. Photo:Xinhua
China National Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Sinopharm) announced on Saturday that the COVID-19 vaccine produced by its Beijing institute has been issued a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificate by Hungarian authorities, marking the first for a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine receiving such a certificate from an EU country and a step forward for Chinese vaccines to become a global public goods.
Vaccine experts pointed out that the issuance of this certificate will greatly enhance the competitiveness of China-produced vaccines in Europe and the confidence of small European countries in Chinese vaccines given the uneven distribution of vaccines in Europe.
Chinese researchers speculate that a more virulent version of SARS-CoV-2 may emerge if the recent one blends with other coronaviruses, China-based Global Times reported.Recently, London-based New Scie