China granted approval to its first coronavirus vaccine for use on the general public, marking a major step forward in the country’s fight against Covid-19 after similar moves by the United States and other countries. The shot developed by a company linked to the state-affiliated pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm Group Co. Ltd. will be free at the point of use and be administered first to high-risk groups including the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, said Zeng Yixin, the deputy chief of the National Health Commission, at a press conference. The developer, Beijing Biological Products Institute Co. Ltd., said Wednesday that the vaccine was 79.34% effective in stopping people from catching Covid-19. No detailed data on the vaccine has yet been released.Chinese vaccine maker seeks approval for broad use of Covid-19 inoculation Singapore begins Covid vaccinations as one of Asia’s first.
