Germany urges China to end lockdowns with Western vaccines

Xi Chen, an associate professor of health policy and economics at Yale University, said the West’s vaccines offered “a major solution” to China’s current Covid woes.

“The government has been working on this, but that’s difficult as they’re not only searching for the product but the property rights,” he added.

Health experts say the implementation of zero Covid is unlikely to end until vaccine uptake among China’s elderly improves. Official data from early November shows that just 66 per cent of over-80s are double jabbed, while only 68 per cent of over-60s have been boosted.

In light of these immunity gaps, between 1.3 and 2.1 million lives could be at risk if China lifts its zero-Covid policy, according to new research from Airfinity, a UK-based data analysis firm.

Efforts are underway to increase coverage: health authorities across China have implemented vaccine mandates, offered free health insurance and ordered community volunteers to knock on the doors of hesitant local residents.

But Prof Chen said “it’s unlikely things will get better for the next half of the new year”. He added: “There’s little discussion about an exit strategy, not just with vaccination but preparing hospital beds, antiviral drugs, and communicating to the people that they do not need to be panicked about the virus.”

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