Beijing/CMEDIA: The ongoing rise in COVID-19 which might reach its peak in June has made Chinese authorities trying to push out vaccines to fight.
65 million people are expected to be infected in a week when the peak will be reached, according to reports.
Months after China exited from the Zero COVID policy, it is witnessing the spike once again, .
Zhong Nanshan, a top Chinese epidemiologist,was quoted as saying by The Washington Post that two new vaccines for the XBB omicron subvariants (including XBB. 1.9.1, XBB. 1.5, and XBB. 1.16) had received initial approval.
Speaking at biotech forum in Guangzhou, Zhong was reported to say that three to four other vaccines were set to be approved soon, but more details were not provide by him.
Even though Chinese officials reportedly say the new wave will be less severe, public health experts are stressing the need of an aggressive vaccine booster program with a ready supply of antivirals at hospitals prevent another spike in deaths among China’s large elderly population.
“The number of infections will be less. The severe cases will be certainly be less, and deaths will be less, but that could still be a large number,” Ben Cowling, an epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health, reportedly told the newspaper. “Even when we think this is a milder wave, it could still be quite a substantial health impact on the community.”
#China, #ChinaCOVID19, #COVID19, #ChinaNewWaveCOVID19
