China has started clinical trials on two potential COVID-19 vaccines, the country’s official state-run press agency reported citing the State Council joint coronavirus prevention and control mechanism.
The experimental vaccines were created by teams at the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, which is associated with the state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group, and Sinovac Research and Development Co., Ltd, which is based in the Chinese capital of Beijing. Both trials have started, the report stated.
Both of the vaccine candidates are inactivated, meaning they contain virus particles which are unable to cause disease, Xinhua reported.
According to a draft list of candidate vaccines published by the World Health Organization dated April 11, 70 vaccines to prevent COVID-19 are being developed around the world.
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Despite experts working across the globe, creating a vaccine is a relatively lengthy process. Back in February, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) told CNN New Day host John Berman a vaccine is “at least a year to a year and a half [away] at best.”
