<p>A $60 double-dose experimental coronavirus vaccine is being made available to some residents in an eastern Chinese city, health officials have said, the first details of a mass rollout for an as-yet unproven vaccine.</p>.<p>Officials in Jiaxing city said Thursday residents aged between 18 and 59 with "urgent needs" can seek consultations at clinics for a Sinovac Biotech vaccine that authorities have been giving to groups such as medical workers.</p>.<p>The statement from Jiaxing's centre for disease control and prevention did not specify what constituted "urgent needs".</p>.<p>Authorities did not say how many people in the city had been given the vaccine, which comes in two doses, administered up to 28 days apart and costing a total of 400 yuan ($59).</p>.<p><strong>Also Read |<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/coronavirus-vaccine-candidate-from-chinas-cnbg-shows-promise-in-human-test-study-902582.html" target="_blank"> Coronavirus vaccine candidate from China's CNBG shows promise in human test: Study</a></strong></p>.<p>China has already given hundreds of thousands of essential workers at ports, hospitals and other high-risk areas across the country an experimental vaccine, according to officials.</p>.<p>But even as 11 Chinese vaccines have entered clinical trials -- with four in advanced Phase Three trials -- none have been approved for mass-market distribution.</p>.<p>China is desperate to win the global race for a vaccine against a virus which emerged in the central city of Wuhan, as it seeks to complete its narrative of recovery from the public health and economic calamity.</p>.<p>China has approved some candidates for emergency use, with officials saying they have not seen serious adverse reactions.</p>.<p>Beijing has also made bold predictions on a broader rollout before year-end as it battles a storm of international criticism over its early handling of the outbreak.</p>.<p>Health officials told a press conference last month that the country expects to be able to produce 610 million vaccine doses annually by year-end, stressing it would be affordable.</p>.<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping has also previously declared that Chinese vaccines would be made a "global public good".</p>.<p>China has signed up to a World Health Organization-led bid to ensure future Covid-19 vaccines are distributed to developing countries, the biggest economy yet to join the attempt to control the pandemic.</p>.<p>Beijing has not given details on how much money it would commit to the deal, which has a fundraising goal of $2 billion and aims to provide 92 low and middle-income countries with a future vaccine.</p>
<p>A $60 double-dose experimental coronavirus vaccine is being made available to some residents in an eastern Chinese city, health officials have said, the first details of a mass rollout for an as-yet unproven vaccine.</p>.<p>Officials in Jiaxing city said Thursday residents aged between 18 and 59 with "urgent needs" can seek consultations at clinics for a Sinovac Biotech vaccine that authorities have been giving to groups such as medical workers.</p>.<p>The statement from Jiaxing's centre for disease control and prevention did not specify what constituted "urgent needs".</p>.<p>Authorities did not say how many people in the city had been given the vaccine, which comes in two doses, administered up to 28 days apart and costing a total of 400 yuan ($59).</p>.<p><strong>Also Read |<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/coronavirus-vaccine-candidate-from-chinas-cnbg-shows-promise-in-human-test-study-902582.html" target="_blank"> Coronavirus vaccine candidate from China's CNBG shows promise in human test: Study</a></strong></p>.<p>China has already given hundreds of thousands of essential workers at ports, hospitals and other high-risk areas across the country an experimental vaccine, according to officials.</p>.<p>But even as 11 Chinese vaccines have entered clinical trials -- with four in advanced Phase Three trials -- none have been approved for mass-market distribution.</p>.<p>China is desperate to win the global race for a vaccine against a virus which emerged in the central city of Wuhan, as it seeks to complete its narrative of recovery from the public health and economic calamity.</p>.<p>China has approved some candidates for emergency use, with officials saying they have not seen serious adverse reactions.</p>.<p>Beijing has also made bold predictions on a broader rollout before year-end as it battles a storm of international criticism over its early handling of the outbreak.</p>.<p>Health officials told a press conference last month that the country expects to be able to produce 610 million vaccine doses annually by year-end, stressing it would be affordable.</p>.<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping has also previously declared that Chinese vaccines would be made a "global public good".</p>.<p>China has signed up to a World Health Organization-led bid to ensure future Covid-19 vaccines are distributed to developing countries, the biggest economy yet to join the attempt to control the pandemic.</p>.<p>Beijing has not given details on how much money it would commit to the deal, which has a fundraising goal of $2 billion and aims to provide 92 low and middle-income countries with a future vaccine.</p>