BEIJING: The China’s National Health Commission has said that fifteen vaccines utilizing five different technologies are under clinical trials in China. Five are in final stage human trials in countries like the UAE, Brazil and Pakistan. “After stringent monitoring and observation, no serious adverse event has occurred. About 60 thousand recipients went to high-risk areas abroad for work, so far serious infections have not been reported,” Zheng Zhongwei, Director, Medical Sci & Tech Development Center, NHC said in an interview. With these results, the country is planning to vaccinate larger groups this winter. Priority will be given to workers in cold chain logistics, customs, seafood markets, public transportation, disease control areas, and those who go to high-risk areas. When vaccines are approved for the larger market, and more vaccines become available, they’ll be rolled out for the general public. But people are still being told to wear masks after injection, according to China Global Television Network (CGTN). Zeng Yixin, deputy director, NHC, said, “It’s hard to say how long it’ll remain effective. But there is some information already, in clinical trials started this March. We have seen a constant presence of antibodies in the vaccine volunteers. Many medical institutes have also been monitoring recovered COVID-19 patients, and found antibodies can be present for as long as ten months. This evidence has shown that China’s COVID-19 vaccines have met the WHO’s vaccine validity period requirements of over six months. Meanwhile, it’s still necessary for people to keep following prevention measures even after vaccination, including mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing.” Authorities say after the trials are completed, if the vaccine’s performance meets the required standards, the National Medical Products Administration will approve it for market use. The government also says it’s prepared for mass production. The Chinese health department will vaccinate high-risk groups in winter and spring, with three vaccines approved for emergency use. China has approved emergency use of three COVID-19 vaccines in June, two from CNBG Sinopharm and one from Sinovac. The State Council task force on COVID-19 says since emergency use started in July, more than one million doses have been administered. The Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines have seen 75,000 vaccinated abroad in phase three trials, with 150,000 doses injected. One person requires two doses normally, that means hundreds of thousands Chinese have received the vaccination.