China must move beyond political considerations and consider importing Covid-19 injections to end the pandemic around the world, according to the chief executive of the world’s newest vaccine maker.
“They need to open up to health care and vaccines from the West and put aside any political issues or things that are holding them back,” Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, told CNBC’s Joumanna Bercetche. at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
China has seen a massive rise in Covid-19 cases and deaths after abruptly ending its zero-Covid policy, which imposed strict lockdowns, mass testing and quarantine on arrival in the country.
The full Covid vaccination rate in China is nearly 87%, according to figures from the World Health Organization, which show that 54% of the population has also received a booster shot.
The main Covid vaccines approved for use in China come from Sinovac and Sinopharm. These shots are less effective against the Omicron variant than other mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer and BioNTech, according to several studies.
Poonawalla said China’s pandemic response in 2020 — which included building hospitals and infrastructure and taking precautions — showed Beijing could respond quickly.
He pointed to China’s decision not to import vaccines from the United States, India and elsewhere, which have been “very effective”.
“I think they might have to seriously consider doing that now, at least as a booster, and taking vaccines that have proven efficacy and real data,” he told CNBC. “Otherwise, the alternative is that many people in China will continue to be infected and we just hope – we wish them well in trying to manage this crisis and get out of it as soon as possible.”
He added that it is also a global problem, given the number of people who want to visit China for business or leisure, as well as the number of Chinese nationals who would travel abroad.
“We really need to end the pandemic and the infection in every country because we all need to be safe,” Poonawalla said.
“They are [China] still deciding on the path they want to take and hopefully it will all come to an end soon.”
The Serum Institute of India, based in Pune, produces more than 1.5 billion doses of vaccine per year for various diseases. Poonawalla said the company would be interested in supplying vaccines to China, but talks with officials in Beijing have so far been unsuccessful.
CNBC has reached out to a Chinese government official for comment.
