Beijing, September 15: People in China could have access to vaccines that can prevent infection of coronavirus or COVID-19 by the end of this year, a report from news agency Reuters said on Tuesday, quoting a senior official of the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the final stage of clinical trials in China. COVID-19 Vaccine Latest News Update: China Has Been Giving Unapproved Coronavirus Vaccines to Key Workers Since July, Says Chinese Official.

"Phase 3 clinical trials were proceeding smoothly and the vaccines could be ready for the general public in November or December," CDC chief biosafety expert Guizhen Wu was quoted as saying. Wu also said she took the experimental vaccine in April and did not experience any abnormal symptoms. However, she did not specify which vaccines she was referring to. Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Can be Given to Americans by 2020-End if Granted FDA Nod by October, Says CEO Albert Bourla.

Three COVID-19 vaccines are being developed by Sinovac Biotech in coordination with the state pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm). CanSino Biologics is also working on a vaccine. At least three of those have already been frontline workers under an emergency use programme launched in July.

Sinopharm had said in July that its vaccine could be ready for public use by the end of this year after the conclusion of Phase 3 trials. Global pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop an effective vaccine against coronavirus which has claimed more than 9 lakh lives so far.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 15, 2020 11:25 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).