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Coronavirus: China’s first Covax vaccines roll off Sinopharm factory lines
- 10 million doses made in initial batch for WHO-led global sharing scheme
- Preparation of the doses welcomed by Gavi, scheme’s co-leader
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China has produced 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines for the WHO-led Covax global sharing scheme, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
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The vaccine is produced by the Beijing affiliate of Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm, which was granted emergency use listing by the World Health Organization in May.
“The first batch of vaccines to be supplied to Covax rolled off the production line today, showing China’s commitment to offering vaccines as global public products,” ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
“China will continue to support companies involved and strengthen communication and coordination with Covax and other international organisations.”
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – the public-private global partnership that co-leads Covax – said it “welcomes the news that Sinopharm doses are being prepared in anticipation of a potential agreement for supply to Covax”.
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It added that it was in talks with Sinopharm and other manufacturers to help expand and diversify its vaccine portfolio.
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