Sinovac Coronavirus Vaccine to Cost $60 in Chinese City of Jianxin

BEIJING, KOMPAS.com – Residents in the Chinese city of Jianxin can expect to pay about $60 for Sinovac’s coronavirus vaccine.

The city is offering Sinovac Biotech's experimental coronavirus vaccine to essential workers and other high-risk groups as part of a national program.

Jianxin’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement on WeChat that two doses of the Covid-19 inoculation, called CoronaVac, will cost around $29.75 of 200 Chinese Yuan per dose.

Read also: World Bank Approves $12B for Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution in Developing Countries

Medical professionals have already been given a shot of Sinovac’s coronavirus vaccine.

Chinese authorities have not released pricing details for potential Covid-19 vaccines.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been given experimental coronavirus vaccines in late-stage trials as part of an emergency inoculation program launched in July.

It was not clear if Jiaxin city's pricing includes subsidies. The city's CDC declined to comment.

Sinovac did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Its vaccine is in late-stage trials in Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey, and the company has said that an interim analysis of Phase 3 trial data could come as early as November.

Bio Farma, a state-owned firm in Indonesia which has reached a deal for at least 40 million doses from Sinovac, said this week the vaccine will cost around 200,000 Indonesian Rupiah ($13.60) per dose when it becomes available in the Southeast Asian country.

Read also: Covid-19 Vaccine from China Will Cost Around $13, Says Indonesia’s Bio Farma

China has said that while reasonable profits for companies are permitted, Covid-19 vaccines should be priced close to cost.

China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) said in August that a vaccine candidate developed by a unit may cost no more than 1,000 Chinese Yuan ($148.80) for two shots.

An official at China's National Health Commission has said, however, the price will be lower. ($1 = 6.7220 Chinese yuan) ($1 = 14,690.0000 rupiah)

(Writers: Roxanne Liu, Tony Munroe, Kate Lamb | Editors: Sayantani Ghosh, Edwina Gibbs)

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china-vaccine/sinovac-coronavirus-vaccine-offered-by-chinese-city-for-emergency-use-costs-60-idUSKBN2710UQ