China approves 2nd local jab for mass use

Sutirtho Patranobis

BEIJING/WASHINGTON: A Chinese pharma company on Saturday said its Covid-19 vaccine has been approved by the country’s top regulator for public use. Sinovac Biotech’s announcement marked it as the second locallymade vaccine cleared for mass inoculations.

The first vaccine was developed by a Beijing institute affiliated to China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), and approved in December.

The White House is exploring options for increasing manufacturing of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, which is under regulatory review, and said that currently expected levels of early doses were less than hoped.

The government has invoked the Defence Production Act to help Pfizer ramp up vaccine production and that “every option” was on the table to produce more Johnson & Johnson vaccine should it be authorised. The US government has also said it will use wartime powers to increase at-home Covid-19 tests.

As the Trump administration was nearing the end of a string of executions, 70% of death row inmates had Covid-19, possibly sparking a super-spreader event. Records obtained by AP show employees at Indiana prison where 13 executions were carried out in six months had contact with infected inmates.

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