Hungary seals deal with China to buy 5mn doses of Sinopharm vaccine

Hungary seals deal with China to buy 5mn doses of Sinopharm vaccine
Hungary's drug regulator OGYEI has given its final approval for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm.
By bne IntelliNews February 1, 2021

Hungary's drug regulator OGYEI has given its final approval for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm, the country's chief medical officer said at a daily press briefing on January 29.

"Hungarians can now count on COVID-19 vaccines developed by BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, as well as Russia's Sputnik V and now the Sinopharm vaccine", Cecilia Muller said.

Hungary signed a contract on Friday to buy 5mn doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, enough to inoculate 2.5mn people, announced Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Friday. 

Peter Szijjarto had spoken by phone with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi after attending a ceremony to inaugurate an LNG terminal in Croatia.

Deliveries will take place in four phases over four months.

Hungary will be the first in the EU to allow the use of Sinopharm and the second country in Europe after Serbia, where more than 300,000 people have received the drug.

Hungary has secured the shipment of 19.7mn vaccines through the EU by western manufacturers Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Curevac.

On Friday vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford received the green light for marketing in the EU. The Hungarian authorities had already approved the drug, which could be supplied shortly, Muller said.

In his regular weekly interview with state media, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that without the Chinese vaccine, 880,000 people would be vaccinated by the beginning of March, but that figure would double with the Chinese jab.

The speed of inoculation would be much faster with the Russian vaccine, he added. The question of easing restrictions would be addressed around Easter, in early April.

The willingness for inoculation has increased, albeit from a low base. Due to political debates surrounding the clearance of the Russian and Chinese vaccines, many Hungarians expressed concerns about the lack of transparency.

The proportion of Hungarians who now have firm plans to get vaccinate grew from 15% six weeks ago to 34%. A quarter of respondents still reject any kind of vaccine.

Over 54% of Hungarians between 65 and 74 say they plan to be vaccinated.

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