China grants approval to clinical trials of vaccine against omicron variant

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – China on Friday granted approval to clinical trials of a vaccine against the omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Sinopharm, China’s giant pharmaceutical maker, said its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine against the omicron variant received the government’s approval on Thursday to begin clinical trials.

“The company has built a 2 billion dose annual capacity production line in Shanghai and will continue to study the vaccine's efficacy,” Chinese state broadcaster CGTN reported.

China has witnessed an unprecedented surge in daily coronavirus cases and the number of deaths has also risen since the country ended the ‘zero-COVID' policy.