First batch of Chinese vaccines to arrive in Thailand before Feb. 24

23:26, February 15, 2021

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  China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Cambodia

  Workers transfer the China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. A chartered flight carrying the first batch of the China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Cambodia on Sunday, welcomed by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hu

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  First batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrives in New Zealand

  WELLINGTON, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in New Zealand on Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed.This handout photo taken and released on February 15, 2021 by the New Zealand government shows the first batch of around 60,000 COVID-19 coronavirus vaccines being unloaded after arrival as airfreight at Auckland International Airport. (Photo: AFP)The shipment of around 60,000 doses arrived at Auckland International Airport at 9:34 a.m. local time."The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines arrival allows us to start New Zealands largest-ever immunization program," Ardern told a press conference.Between now and when the vaccination program starts, quality assurance, and checks will be undertaken, she said."We expect to start vaccinating border and MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) workers in Auckland this Saturday. The more than 30,000 courses will be more than enough to vaccinate this group of workers over the coming 2-3 weeks," she said."Our border workforce such as cleaners, the nurses who undertake health checks in MIQ, security staff, customs and border officials, airline staff and hotel workers have worked tirelessly to keep all New Zealanders safe and will rightly be first to receive the vaccine," said the prime minister, adding that it will also help prevent COVID-19 entering communities.COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealand is expecting further shipments of vaccine over coming weeks and will receive about 225,000 vaccine courses by the end of March."As these batches arrive, well vaccinate border workers household contacts, then the next group will be many frontline healthcare and essential workers, plus those most at risk from COVID-19, such as older people or those with medical conditions that make them vulnerable if infected," Hipkins said.

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  China's first batch of vaccines for Africa to arrive on Wednesday: FM

  File photo: XinhuaThe vaccines provided by the Chinese government to Equatorial Guinea were delivered today and expected to arrive in its capital Malabo on Wednesday morning local time, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday at a press briefing.This is the first batch of vaccine provided by the Chinese government to African countries, which shows China’s practical actions to implement China’s declaration of developing vaccines as a global public product and the pledge that President Xi Jinping made at the extraordinary China-Africa summit on solidarity against COVID-19 last June that African countries would be among the first to benefit once the development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccine is completed in China, said Wang.Wang stressed that China and Equatorial Guinea are sincere and reliable partners and brothers. For more than half a century, the two countries have adhered to the good traditions of solidarity and mutual assistance. Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, China donated vaccines to Equatorial Guinea as quickly as possible, once again demonstrating the profound friendship between the two countries.China will continue to carry out vaccine cooperation in different ways with African countries, including Equatorial Guinea, said Wang, adding “we will provide support and help in terms of African countries’ needs to jointly fight the epidemic, promote post-epidemic development and benefit the people of China and Africa.”(Compiled by Liu Kechen)