BEIJING: China on Sunday became the first country in the world to have administered one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Such achievement is believed to be a “milestone” but not “surprising” given China’s thorough vaccination plan and effective implementation system.As of Friday, more than 990 million doses of vaccines had been given in China, according to the National Health Commission. The number is about three times that delivered in the US, and almost 40 percent of the 2.5 billion shots given globally. China kicked off its national vaccination drive in December, 2020.
Despite a slow start due to the low willingness among the public to receive the vaccine, given how well the epidemic had been brought under control, the country has witnessed a surge in daily delivered doses since May – more than 10 million per day and sometimes even double that number – following unexpected continuous outbreaks in Northeast China’s Liaoning, East China’s Anhui and South China’s Guangdong provinces.
The continuous boost in vaccine production and speedy vaccination roll-out in China reflects the government’s quick response in both vaccine research and its mass inoculation plan against the outbreak, and is also a result of China’s highly efficient governance system, said the experts. “The milestone represents China not only comes closer to full domestic immune protection, but also makes a great contribution to the global fight against the epidemic,” Feng Duojia, president of the China Vaccine Industry Association, told the Global Times.
“China’s actual supply of vaccines significantly exceeds domestic use, and China continues to offer doses overseas.”Registration for vaccination will actively continue, given the public’s confidence in the government and Chinese vaccines, Feng noted. “Ensuring a vaccination rate of more than 80 percent is no longer a problem. What needs to be solved now is how to ensure an ideal immunity effect after full public vaccination.”
In the next step, China should also enhance investment in vaccine research and development to improve the products as well as explore the best vaccination procedure to maximize efficacy, a Beijing-based immunologist told the Global Times on Sunday on condition of anonymity.
To improve the vaccines so that they can handle virus mutations as well as make them safe for the elderly will be the focus in the next step, the expert said.Media reports revealed that since June 10, some places in China have issued notices saying they will give priority to people who are due to accept their second or third shots over those registering for their first shots.
The expert said that the arrangement is aimed at ensuring those who have had first shots can complete their vaccination procedures in a timely manner and build immunity effectively, which will also help to protect those who have not yet had any shots.
–The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
