While the United States and Europe are focusing on vaccinating their own populations, China and Russia are sending millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine to countries around the world.
Why it’s important: China’s dual success in controlling the domestic outbreak and producing several viable vaccines has allowed it to focus on providing doses abroad, an effort that could help save lives on several continents.
- China and Russia vaccines are the first to reach low-income countries that probably won’t have wide access to vaccines until 2023, according to some projections.
By numbers: China has provided vaccines to 20 countries, including across South America and Africa, and plans to send doses to at least 40 more, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry sent to the Wall Street Journal.
- Poland is the last European country to consider Chinese-made vaccines.
- Chinese companies and government officials have worked with local partners to create cold chain infrastructure in Ethiopia to help transport and distribute vaccines.
- More than two dozen countries have authorized the use of the Russian Sputnik vaccine. Ten countries in Latin America and South America have already received or will soon receive shipments, as have Slovakia, Hungary and several other nations.
Details: China’s vaccines were not as effective in clinical trials as some manufactured in the U.S. and Europe, but they do not require ultra-cold storage, making them easier to transport and distribute.
- Last week, China approved two more vaccines, bringing the total number of vaccines manufactured in China to four. One of the newly approved vaccines requires only one shot.
Between lines: With daily COVID cases often reported in single digits, Chinese leaders face less pressure to vaccinate Chinese citizens quickly.
- As of February 9, only about 40 million doses had been administered nationally, below the 100 million doses that the Chinese authorities had promised at the time.
- On March 1, top Chinese disease expert Zhong Nanshan said authorities now want to vaccinate 40 percent of the population in June.
In the meantime, the US and Europe focus first on vaccinating their own citizens.
- The Biden administration has promised $ 4 billion in funding for COVAX, half of which will be available immediately, but has also said the U.S. will vaccinate Americans before sending doses overseas.
- The European Union implemented limited controls on vaccine exports in late January, with criticism from the World Health Organization for “vaccine nationalism”.
What to see: China and Russia’s first dominance in global vaccine deployment is likely to be relatively ephemeral.
- As they are approved to manufacture more vaccines manufactured in the United States and Europe, additional doses of Western vaccines could soon expand the global supply considerably.