As the numbers of Covid-19 cases across the globe have dropped for a fifth consecutive week in 2021, Chinese scientists said the pandemic was possibly “tapering-off”, which would allow for the relaxation of global travel restrictions as early as April this year. Yet they warned a new virus variant prevailing in Europe and the U.S. and uneven vaccine distribution may drag down the global effort in battling the pandemic. They pointed out that implementation of stronger public health measures, stricter adherence to the rules out of fear of faster-spreading variants, and the natural seasonality of coronavirus have all played a constructive part in the recent decline. “Based on the current pace, most wealthy countries and countries with frequent people exchanges will realize mass inoculation by April or May this year, and would pave the way for international travel,” said a Beijing-based immunologist. Many Western countries, such as the U.S. and the UK, are placing all their hopes on the vaccines, and encouraging their people to get vaccinated, the Global Times reports.

Chinese customs have tested 1.49 million samples of cold-chain imports, and 79 of them had returned positive for the coronavirus, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said, while 56 foreign manufacturers involved in shipping contaminated food products to China have been suspended from filing import applications for one to four weeks, as a preventive measure. “We have suspended imports of 129 suppliers from 21 countries where employees had been infected with the virus. Among them, 110 companies voluntarily halted exports to China,” GAC said.

A source at China’s leading vaccine producer Sinovac said that preliminary results its vaccine can neutralize the variants detected in the UK and South Africa, though a detailed report by scientists has not yet been published. Another Chinese vaccine producer – Sinopharm – also said in January that its vaccine is also effective against the variants. The immunologist said that although the new variants raise concerns, the decline in cases offers an opportunity to prepare for the months ahead. “The drop offers space for us to double down on those effective measures, such as speeding up vaccine inoculation, social distancing and basic hygiene measures, and prepare for any possible comeback,” he said.

China has already approved four vaccines for conditional market use.  An inactivated vaccine developed by the Beijing Biological Products Institute under Sinopharm’s subsidiary, China National Biotec Group (CNBG), was China’s first Covid-19 vaccine to receive conditional approval for the domestic market on December 31, 2020. It was followed by CoronaVac, developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech. A second vaccine produced by Sinopharm at its Wuhan Institute  also received approval. Besides those three inactivated vaccines, CanSino’s vaccine is China’s first Ad5-nCoV  vaccine. It is a recombinant adenovirus vector vaccine jointly developed by CanSino Biologics and researchers from the Institute of Military Medicine under the Academy of Military Sciences led by General Chen Wei. This vaccine only requires one dose. 

Chinese syringe and needle suppliers are expanding production after orders continue to increase worldwide, and the U.S. ramps up its Covid-19 vaccinations. Around 80% of the needles and syringes in use in the U.S. originate from China. The pressing demand has driven up the prices of raw materials, including plastics and steel, which are ultimately reflected in the market prices of syringes. Currently, the price of a syringe has increased from CNY0.1 per unit to CNY0.3, while prices in the U.S. are even higher at CNY0.5 to CNY0.8, increasing by 800%, because suppliers with FDA markings are very limited, an industry insider told the Global Times. Despite the rocketing prices, the cost for a syringe that is made in China is still lower than one in the U.S., as in addition to the low labor cost and adequate supply chain, mass production has reduced costs.

Health experts believe an uneven vaccine rollout will  undermine global efforts to contain the virus. People from 130 countries are still waiting for vaccines, while wealthy nations are receiving doses from multiple vaccine makers. According to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres just 10 countries had administered 75% of all vaccinations. China has promised to offer vaccine assistance to 53 developing countries, and has sent its vaccines to 22 countries.

Direct flights between China and France have been cut after French authorities said that two flights by Chinese carriers were cancelled. Flight MU570 of Chinese Eastern Airlines, originally scheduled to fly from Paris to Shanghai on February 28, and flight CZ348 of China Southern Airlines from Paris to Guangzhou on March 4, were canceled by France’s aviation authorities. It was the fourth cancelled flight for Chinese carriers since February 17. The move came after China canceled an Air France flight for two weeks after seven passengers were found to be infected with Covid-19 when they arrived in China.

Chinese health experts believe the EU’s plan to issue digital vaccine travel certificates or passports is not feasible scientifically at a time when new variants emerge and raise doubts about the efficacy of vaccines. They warn that issuing the vaccine passports may trigger a new wave of the pandemic in Europe. However, experts add that the idea may be feasible in the long run, and a globally recognized vaccine certificate should be established under the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO) and could be introduced for international events such as the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. A Beijing-based immunologist who requested anonymity told the Global Times that vaccine passports could provide convenience for travel, but so far it is a purely political move to promote vaccinations and economic recovery. As the WHO has predicted that vaccines in some developing countries, especially those in Africa, would only be available by 2023, the vaccine passports in the EU would block travel from developing countries, which is unfair and discriminatory, the immunologist added.

This overview is based on reporting by the China Daily, Shanghai Daily and Global Times.