China's COVID-19 Vaccine Capacity to Reach 610 Million

A staff member tests samples of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at a laboratory of Sinovac Biotech Ltd., in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2020. [Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei]

BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) — China's total annual production capacity of COVID-19 vaccines will likely reach 610 million doses by the end of the year, a Chinese official said on Tuesday.

The production capacity will continue to expand next year to meet the demand for COVID-19 vaccines in China and other countries, said Zheng Zhongwei, with the National Health Commission, at a news conference in Beijing.

As a public product, the vaccines will be priced according to the cost rather than supply and demand, Zheng said. The price of China's COVID-19 vaccines will be acceptable to the public, he added.

Priority for receiving vaccines should be given to certain people with a high risk of exposure to the virus, Zheng said.

(Source: Xinhua)