Stone Cold
Superstar
"China is the only major economy in the world not to approve or distribute COVID-19 vaccines that use the mRNA technology proven to be one of the most effective tools in preventing the spread of COVID-19. But China’s mRNA stance may be changing."
China’s delayed approval of the BioNTech jab is likely due, in part, to the government publicly casting doubt on the usefulness of mRNA vaccines earlier this year and the promotion of its homegrown alternatives.
But the recent rise of the COVID-19 Delta variant may be pushing Beijing to change tack. Amid Delta-driven COVID-19 outbreaks, foreign governments appear to be losing some confidence in the performance of Chinese vaccines compared with mRNA vaccines from companies like BioNTech and Moderna. And Beijing may be coming around to the idea that an mRNA vaccine could bolster its own pandemic response and ease its long-awaited border reopening.
China and mRNA
China’s resistance to mRNA technology became apparent earlier this year, when state media outlets attempted to sow doubt about mRNA jabs from companies like Pfizer as a means to promote China’s domestically produced shots.
On Jan. 15, the Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid, blasted Western media outlets for their critical coverage of Chinese jabs and hinted that relying on new mRNA vaccines was dangerous.
“This large-scale promotion of Pfizer’s vaccine is a continuous process of large-scale testing on human beings,” the Global Times wrote.
1.4 billion doses later, China warms to using mRNA COVID vaccines
China reports no new local Covid-19 cases for first time since July, as Delta outbreak wanes - CNN
China’s delayed approval of the BioNTech jab is likely due, in part, to the government publicly casting doubt on the usefulness of mRNA vaccines earlier this year and the promotion of its homegrown alternatives.
But the recent rise of the COVID-19 Delta variant may be pushing Beijing to change tack. Amid Delta-driven COVID-19 outbreaks, foreign governments appear to be losing some confidence in the performance of Chinese vaccines compared with mRNA vaccines from companies like BioNTech and Moderna. And Beijing may be coming around to the idea that an mRNA vaccine could bolster its own pandemic response and ease its long-awaited border reopening.
China and mRNA
China’s resistance to mRNA technology became apparent earlier this year, when state media outlets attempted to sow doubt about mRNA jabs from companies like Pfizer as a means to promote China’s domestically produced shots.
On Jan. 15, the Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid, blasted Western media outlets for their critical coverage of Chinese jabs and hinted that relying on new mRNA vaccines was dangerous.
“This large-scale promotion of Pfizer’s vaccine is a continuous process of large-scale testing on human beings,” the Global Times wrote.
1.4 billion doses later, China warms to using mRNA COVID vaccines
China reports no new local Covid-19 cases for first time since July, as Delta outbreak wanes - CNN
