More jabs, more hope for return to normal

Wide embrace of Chinese vaccines reflects trust in nation's capabilities

Norman Laquian, a Filipino nurse in Abu Dhabi, is among the hundreds of frontline medical workers who have received two jabs of a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine that many, like him, are counting on for a return to normalcy.

"For me, getting the vaccine is a way of protecting yourself and your family," Laquian said.

He contracted COVID-19, along with his wife Hershey, in October. She is scheduled to receive the vaccine, which is produced by China National Pharmaceutical Group, or Sinopharm.

On Dec 9, the United Arab Emirates became the first foreign country to approve the vaccine developed by Sinopharm. Other countries are expected to follow as Chinese vaccines complete their trials.

China has joined the World Health Organization-backed COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, known as COVAX. The program is aimed at ensuring equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines.

RPM-VPS Group Medical Director Michael Felfernig, who is based in Abu Dhabi, warned that as a growing number of countries begin receiving vaccines from the major candidates, the trend must not lead to the point that "people start neglecting precautionary measures".

Felfernig, who was inoculated in September, has been administering the Chinese jabs to his staff through his group's vaccination program. He has, so far, not heard of any adverse reactions.

"Both China and the UAE have proven during this crisis that fast and resolute actions are the only ways to contain a pandemic outbreak," said Felfernig. "Scientific collaborations are necessary to gain quick representative valid data."

Bahrain approval

Elsewhere in the Middle East, Bahrain, with about 1.5 million people, has joined the list of countries that have approved vaccines from China. The country has also approved vaccines from US-based Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.

Turkey has signed a deal to buy50 million doses of a vaccine from Sinovac Biotech in China.

In developing countries, the Chinese vaccines do not just symbolize accessibility. They are also seen as logistics-friendly as Pfizer's and Moderna's treatments require ultracold storage, which can reportedly cost up to $30,000.

In contrast, the five Chinese vaccines that have been developed can be preserved for 36 months at temperatures of 2 C to 8 C.

In Indonesia, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia at over 600,000, its pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma and Sinovac Biotech are conducting the third phase of clinical trials of CoronaVac.

The Philippines, with more than 400,000 cases, aims to secure 25 million doses of CoronaVac by next year.

Philippines-based analyst and Anvil Business Club Chairman Wilson Lee Flores has lauded China's commitment to share its vaccines and the strides it has made in modern technology.

"China's commitment to share the vaccine to the world and most especially to developing countries is benevolent, progressive and noble," said Flores.

NSF International Health Sciences Global Vice-President Martin Lush said China and other Asia-Pacific countries have "certainly led the way and recovered faster and better than those in the West－most notably the EU and the Americas".

"Western governments have a lot to learn before the next pandemic hits," said Lush.