China supplies 1bn Covid vaccines globally

China’s vaccines have been exported under bilateral deals; donated doses are said to be more than 52 million. China will offer $100 million to the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) facility too.

China has supplied 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to the world, Zheng Zhongwei, an official at the national health commission (NHC) said on Friday.

Students, accompanied by parents, wait in line to register information for vaccination against Covid-19, at a high school in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. (REUTERS)

Chinese President Xi Jinping had said in August that China would strive to provide 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines globally in 2021.

On August 5, Xi had said besides striving to provide 2 billion doses, China will offer $100 million to the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) facility.

Zheng did not share details but most of China’s vaccines have been exported under bilateral deals; donated doses are said to be more than 52 million.

Though China’s vaccination drive has picked up pace rapidly, the inoculation programme is facing increasing difficulties, Zheng said.

“Recently, as (pushing) vaccination work came to the later stage, it has become increasingly difficult,” Zheng said at a health forum.

He said China has given full doses to about 900 million people, or more than 60% of its 1.4 billion population, but cited some experts saying China may need a vaccination rate higher than 80%.

By the end of October, the country is expected to complete giving regular regimen doses to 1.1 billion people as well as giving booster shots to limited groups such as the elderly and high-risk employees, Reuters quoted estimates in Zheng’s presentation.