'WHO backed China for emergency use of COVID-19 experimental vaccines as early as in June'

China secured WHO’s backing for emergency use of COVID-19 experimental vaccines as early as in June to protect people from pandemic even though clinical trials h t been completed, a top health official said on Friday.Zheng Zhongwei, he of medical science development at National Health Commission, told reporters here that World Health Organisation gave its support to China for its emergency use of vaccines in late June, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

According to Zheng, commission proposed emergency use of vaccines in mid-June to protect people in high-risk occupations such as frontline health workers, border officials and overseas workers. vaccines still h to complete phase 3 of clinical trials but State Council approved proposal on June 24.

“After approval, on June 29, we h a communication meeting with relevant representatives of WHO office in China, and obtained understanding and support from WHO,” Post quoted Zheng as saying.

He said that approval strictly abided by China’s vaccine and pharmaceutical laws and used WHO standards as a guide, ding that re were " severe verse events" from injections. WHO faced stringent criticism especially from US President Donald Trump who accused it of being a puppet of China for t acting in time to halt spre of COVID-19 when it broke out in Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year. Trump has also pulled US out of WHO.

In his dress to UN General Assembly on September 23, Trump also attacked WHO, saying it is “virtually controlled by China”. Last week, Yang Xiaoming, Chairman of China National Biotec Group, which h obtained approval to start phase 3 trials for its coronavirus vaccine candidates in UAE, said 350,000 people h been injected with experimental vaccines under scheme.

Yang Sheng, Deputy director of National Medical Products ministration's drug registration bureau, said that four China-developed COVID-19 vaccines have begun final st of human trials overseas after obtaining approval from foreign authorities.China has been focusing on developing five s of vaccines and each method has at least one entering clinical trials. In total, 11 vaccine candidates are in different sts of testing, Yang was quoted as saying by state-run China Daily.

Zheng said China’s annual capacity to make COVID-19 vaccines was expected to reach 610 million doses this year and 1 billion doses by 2021. He offered details on how doses would be distributed.

Facing global versity over mass spre of coronavirus, China plans to have diplomatic offensive, offering its vaccines specially to a number of smaller countries at affordable costs.

China did t join COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) alliance to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.Zheng said China h been a supporter of Covax.Chinese representatives recently held a videoconference with WHO, Gavi, Vaccine Alliance and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Invations – which toger founded Covax – on vaccine production and development.

“We communicated in full detail about vaccine development, production and distribution. We will continue close communication with se organisations to promote COVID-19 vaccines to become a global public good,” Zheng said.

He said China would set an “affordable” price for vaccines for public, with higher priority given to essential workers such as couriers and people handling frozen food, n people at high risk of COVID-19, including children, pregnant women and elderly.