China says WHO gave blessing for coronavirus vaccine emergency use programme

China says WHO gave blessing for coronavirus vaccine emergency use programme

BEIJING  - The World Health Organization supported China's campaign to vaccinate certain people against coronavirus in July while clinical trials were still under way, a Chinese health official said on Friday, although some experts have expressed concern about the move.China launched its emergency programme in July, having communicated with the WHO in late June, according to Zheng Zhongwei, a National Health Commission official.Hundreds of thousands essential workers and other limited groups of people considered at high risk of infection have been given the vaccine, even though its efficacy and safety had not been fully established as Phase 3 clinical trials were incomplete, raising concerns among experts.  "At end-June, China's State Council approved a plan of COVID-19 vaccine emergency use program," Zheng told a news conference."After the approval, on June 29,