While the US and Europe focus on vaccinating their own populations, China and Russia send millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccination to countries around the world.
Why it matters: China’s dual success in controlling its domestic outbreak and producing several viable vaccines has enabled it to focus on providing doses abroad – an attempt to save lives across different continents.
- The vaccines from China and Russia are the first to reach low-income countries that are unlikely to have broad access to vaccines until 2023, according to some projections.
By the numbers: China has supplied vaccines to 20 countries, including across South America and Africa, and plans to send doses to at least 40 countries, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry sent to the Wall Street Journal.
- Poland is the latest European country to consider Chinese vaccines.
- Chinese companies and government officials have worked with local partners to create cold-chain infrastructure in Ethiopia to transport and distribute vaccines.
- More than two dozen countries have approved the use of the Russian Sputnik vaccine. Ten countries in Latin and South America have already sent, or will soon receive, Slovakia, Hungary and several other countries.
Details: The vaccines from China have not been as effective in clinical trials as some of those manufactured in the US and Europe, but they do not require ultra-cold storage, which makes them easier to transport and distribute.
- Last week, China approved two more vaccines, bringing the total number of Chinese vaccines to four. One of the newly approved vaccines requires only one shot.
Between the lines: As daily COVID cases are regularly reported in single digits, China’s leaders are being put under pressure to vaccinate Chinese citizens quickly.
- Only about 40 million doses were administered domestically as of February 9, and that was less than the 100 million doses promised by the Chinese authorities by that time.
- On March 1, Chinese top expert Zhong Nanshan said the authorities now intend to vaccinate 40% of the population by June.
Meanwhile, it the US and Europe focus on vaccinating their own citizens first.
- The government in Biden has promised $ 4 billion in funding for COVAX, half of which is available immediately – but also said the US will vaccinate Americans before sending doses abroad.
- At the end of January, the European Union implemented limited export controls on vaccines, criticizing the World Health Organization for ‘vaccine nationalism’.
What to look for: The early domination of China and Russia in the global introduction of vaccines is likely to be relatively short-lived.
- As more American and European manufactured vaccines are approved for manufacture, extra doses of Western vaccines could significantly increase global supply soon.