CHINESE manufacturers of coronavirus vaccines are seeking regulatory approval to release it in the market, according to Zhang Wenhong,head of Shanghai’s expert team for the treatment of coronavirus patients.

“If phase-III clinical trials show good results, personally, I would advise people to get vaccinated,” said Zhang, who is the director of the infectious disease department at Huashan Hospital.

“Chinese vaccines will possibly be available in the market by the end of this year or early next year. But we may have to wait until the end of next year for imported vaccines in China,” said Zhang in a lecture held over the weekend at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.

“Already, Chinese vaccines have been used on nearly 1 million people as emergency measures, and no one has reported getting infected,” he said. “For those with high risk of infection, they can choose to apply for vaccination now.”

He also pointed out the importance of disinfecting non-cold-chain transportation in winter. “The virus can survive under low temperatures, even minus 4 Celsius degrees,” he said. “But it will die after several hours of exposure to sunshine.”