Vaccine trial begins on minors; Xi’an denies inoculation

A Chinese vaccine maker has begun COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials on minors to better understand the vaccine’s safety and efficacy to a wider population, the Global Times learned on Tuesday.

The China National Biotec Group (CNBG) of SinoPharm, China’s leading vaccine producer, said that it has started clinical trials on minors, and the data shows the vaccine is safe. The results are expected to be released after late-stage trials. The company did not release details of the trials.

As domestic vaccinations for emergency use are expanding, many speculated whether students will be the next group to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, as September marks the return to school.

Parents in Xi’an, Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, said Monday that some schools began counting how many would agree to have children vaccinated with the domestic vaccines before commercial release. Parents said the move has raised concerns over vaccine safety for children, as clinical data on minors has not been released.

The Health Commission of Shaanxi Province on Tuesday denied rumors that school students will receive the vaccine, telling the Global Times that the province is investigating the willingness among key groups working in high-risk industries, such as medical workers, but not students.

An official of Jingxin Primary School in Xi’an said on Monday that they were told by the local CDC to collect the names of teachers who intend to join the vaccination for urgent use, as they would face a greater risk of infection after returning to school. The vaccine is on voluntary basis.

China has been very rigorous about vaccinating children, as the group faces a higher risk of side effects, Tao Lina, a Shanghai-based immunological expert, told the Global Times.