By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
CHINESE Ambassador to the Bahamas Dai Qingli said Chinese officials are having ongoing dialogue with the Bahamas government regarding cooperation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, including providing vaccines.
Her comments echoed remarks previously made by the embassy’s counsellor, Haigang Yin who said in May the Embassy was in communication with the Bahamian government. However, at the time the Minnis administration’s level of interest in the vaccines was unclear.
China has been giving free COVID-19 vaccines to other countries after the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved the Chinese vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac for use.
“So far, we have helped about more than 100 countries in terms of providing free vaccines and exporting vaccines to these countries and so we are continuing to have these communications with the Bahamas government,” the ambassador said.
However, there have reportedly been questions surrounding the effectiveness of the Asian country’s vaccine. According to an article published in the New York Times on June 22, four countries mostly using Chinese-made vaccines were ranked among the top 10 countries with the worst COVID-19 outbreaks.
“In the Seychelles, Chile, Bahrain and Mongolia, 50 to 68 percent of the populations have been fully inoculated, outpacing the United States, according to Our World in Data, a data tracking project,” the New York Times reported.
“All four ranked among the top 10 countries with the worst COVID outbreaks as recently as last week, according to data from The New York Times. And all four are mostly using shots made by two Chinese vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech.”
In late June, international news agency Reuters also reported that “there are growing concerns about whether they (Chinese vaccines) provide enough protection against the Delta variant, first identified in India.”
But when the Chinese ambassador to The Bahamas was asked about the efficacy rate, she did not give a figure but added that the Chinese vaccines have been proven effective in different countries.
“Well, there has been efficacy rates as these vaccine companies have shared with the media and with the general public,” she told reporters. “That’s based on their clinical trials and then with so much vaccination of these vaccines they are making new evaluations. So overall, Chinese vaccines have proven effective in different countries, more than 100 countries, and for different age groups. They are proven effective even against the mutated virus, but, of course, you know if you make a different scientific assessment then maybe you will come up with different figures.
“I think for the general public we don’t need to mind so much about these efficacy rates as long as these vaccines are approved by the WHO and by the governments of different countries... so I think so far Chinese vaccines have been proven both safe and efficacious as we haven’t heard major reports of mishaps or incidents regarding Chinese vaccines.”
According to CNN, the efficacy rates of the Chinese vaccines range from 60 percent to 79 percent.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which is currently the only COVID-19 vaccine available in The Bahamas, is said to have an efficacy rate of 70 to 79 percent.
Comments
ohdrap4 2 years, 10 months ago
LOL. SINOVAC is the worst vaccine.
Go tell them folks in Chile and Brazil.
She is just as cagey as Wells. They could make a good pair.
whogothere 2 years, 10 months ago
6 fully vaxxed die in Seychelles (5 with az 1 with sino)...now eyes on other supposed vac success stories... Israel? Uk? Chile? Mongolia? Bahrain? How y’all doing?
https://fortune.com/2021/07/02/fully-...">https://fortune.com/2021/07/02/fully-...
mandela 2 years, 10 months ago
Well, the Cuban vaccine has a 92% efficacy rate, I would rather go with the Cubans than the Chinese any day so why aren't we getting their vaccines.
TalRussell 2 years, 10 months ago
Has the government ever had a plan in place to quickly quarantine the many hundreds of tourists if an emergency demand health facilities for rooms, yes?
Economist 2 years, 10 months ago
I agree with Manuela that I would far prefer for The Bahamas to get the Cuban vaccine. The Chinese never give anything for free.
DWW 2 years, 10 months ago
the chinese jook has such low effectiveness that they giving it away for free. somehwere in the 50% range which is kind of like why bother?
tribanon 2 years, 10 months ago
Minnis should be charged with high treason. He continues to betray our small nation and our people by 'selling us out' to the sinister strategic interests of the ruthlessly evil Xi Jinping led Communist Chinese Party.
It's in the interest of the Bahamian people that Dai Qingli be expelled from our country at the earliest possible time, and that The Bahamas re-establish full diplomatic ties with Taiwan as the one and only official Republic of China.
C2B 2 years, 10 months ago
Dai needs to shut up until the Chinese communist party allows investigators access to the information necessary to determine the source of this virus. Until this happens, the international community can assume that China is hiding the truth and that this was a military accident that caused this pandemic. China is therefore liable just like a car accident in which it were at fault. Prove us wrong Dai.
TalRussell 2 years, 10 months ago
Raises me eyebrows, why should've been a quick, logical, yes to China's Ambassador Bahamaland, Dai Qingli's, generous offer - not making the Comrade Sister Dia, resort to beggin' on two fronts with her not only offering China's full unconditional cooperation to join in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, but she's willing to brung her luggages, stuffed-full with thousands of donated doses of much-needed vaccines and needles, yes?
SP 2 years, 10 months ago
China can keep their vaccine and we'll throw in Perry Christie!
tribanon 2 years, 10 months ago
Wish we could throw in the whole enchilada, i.e. Minnis, D'Aguilar, Davis and Cooper. They all deserve to be banished to Communist Red China.
SP 2 years, 10 months ago
@ tribanon.....Hopefully, you wish will be granted next election. Never before has Bahamians across the entire spectrum of politics all express the same sentiments as you have!
Everybody, black and white totally agree If we don't vote independents in this election our country is finished.
John 2 years, 10 months ago
‘ Some Fully Vaccinated People May Still Get Sick if Exposed to Variants, CDC Warns’
John 2 years, 10 months ago
Dr Fauci ( who lacks credibility) says a new situation is developing where persons who have been fully vaccinated are seeking to get additional vaccinations. This is mostly with the single shot Johnson and Johnson, where persons believe it is not providing sufficient protection. So they seek to get full doses of the other two-shot vaccines. Fauci says there’s no science to predict the outcome of getting re-vaccinated and persons may be putting themselves at risk. He warned against it but says sometimes in the future persons may require booster shots and that is when it would be more advisable for people to change their vaccines.
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