The race for COVID-19 vaccines is on. We¡¯re already seeing so many vaccine contenders working hard to bring their cure to end the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus.?
Russia claims to be the first to create a vaccine against COVID-19, despite several looming concerns surrounding it, and now the next in line in China¡¯s Sinopharm Group.
Liu Jingzhen, Chairman of the Sinopharm Group (reported by Sina) has announced that its novel coronavirus vaccine dubbed New Crown will be listed at the end of December this year where two doses of the vaccine are expected to be priced at less than 1,000 yuan.
Vouching for the efficacy of the Chinese coronavirus vaccine, the Party Secretary and Chairman of China National Pharmaceutical Group has claimed that he has received two injections of the vaccine and he claims that there were no adverse reactions.?
The Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine has recently cleared relevant biosafety inspection organised at Beijing Institute of Biological Products by relevant state departments and has been deemed qualified for use for the public.?
The vaccine is currently in its phase III of human trials which are being conducted internationally in UAE. After clearance, the vaccine can enter the approval process and will enter the market by the end of this year in December.??
According to Liu Jingzhen,? Beijing Institute of Biological Products -- one of the manufacturers of the vaccine -- are capable of reaching a production count of 120 million doses annually whereas another manufacturer Wuhan Institute of Biological Products can reach 100 million doses annually.?
He also stated that each shot will cost a few hundred yuan or if two shots are given, less than 1000 yuan (which is approximately Rs 10,000). He also specified that not everyone is required to be vaccinated.?
According to Jingzhen, students, and office workers in densely populated areas are recommended to get vaccinated, but people residing in sparsely populated areas don¡¯t need to be vaccinated yet.