Coronavirus: China vows to make COVID-19 vaccine a ‘global public good’ once ready
China would make any coronavirus vaccine it developed a “global public good” once it was put into use, President Xi Jinping told the World Health Assembly on Monday.
China has five potential vaccines in clinical trials as countries race to find a way to stop the pathogen that has killed over 315,000 people worldwide.
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In his speech, Xi said: “After the research and development of China’s coronavirus vaccine is completed and it is put into use, it will be made a global public good.”
This move would be China’s contribution to achieving accessibility and affordability of a vaccine in developing countries as well, Xi said.
People’s Liberation Army soldiers are seen next to a poster with a picture of Chinese President Xi Jinping next to the entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing on May 18, 2020. (AFP)
More vaccine candidates are in the pipeline and awaiting approval for human trials, said Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission, last week.
Experts say it will take at least 12 to 18 months to develop an effective vaccine, or an even longer period.
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Xi also told the assembly’s first-ever virtual gathering that China will provide $2 billion in global COVID-19 aid over two years.
Read more:
China has ‘always’ been transparent about coronavirus: Xi Jinping
China admits that labs destroyed coronavirus samples on safety concerns: Reports
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