Despite news that the Sinovac vaccine has just been approved for use among three to 17-year-olds in China, there is yet no timeline for the actual rollout to this specific age group, Jingkids has discovered.
The Global Times reported earlier yesterday that the Sinovac vaccine, given in two doses, has now been given the regulatory green light to be administered to children. Previously only those 18 and above have been eligible to receive the vaccine.
Despite this, calls to Oasis International Hospital and Beijing United Monday revealed that neither have been authorized to begin vaccinating children. Chinese hospitals reached were also unable to state a timeline for the rollout.
The issue of under 18 vaccinations is a big one for international families, especially as summer approaches and the possibility of traveling abroad is once again within reach.
Since the advent of Covid-19, it has been difficult for foreigners to re-enter China. More recently, proof of having received one of the two major Chinese vaccines – Sinopharm or Sinovac – has given those seeking a guaranteed return an advantage.
Many parents fear that taking their unvaccinated children outside the country could result in them being barred from returning.
Should foreign children receive the vaccine, it will be all that much easier to make international travel plans – though most still advise foreign residents of China to stay put for the time being, until inbound international travel is normalized.
It’s also not a given that foreign children will get access to the vaccine at the same time as local citizens. Beijing’s vaccine rollout for adults began in late 2020, but it was not until the end of March of this year that foreigners were offered a chance at vaccination.
The approval of the vaccine for children comes on the heels of Beijing reporting that 90% of its over 18 population has now received at least one dose of the vaccine. That same source indicated that according to official government statistics, 29,409 of Beijing’s 62,812 foreigners — or 47% — have now received the vaccine.
KEEP READING: Post Covid Anxiety in Children
Images: Pexels
