Latest announcement from Shanghai government set to open foreign mRNA jabs to the arms of Chinese people, after months of stalling approvals.

The latest policies from Beijing show that the Chinese government is readying its own new vaccines and drugs for COVID-19 in a bid to gradually ease some of the strictest pandemic restrictions globally, but progress is mixed and domestic reported infections are surging to their highest level since March 2020.

In a surprise move, China has conditionally approved Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid, a development that may have far-reaching consequences for the country's pandemic policies and domestic drug developers. 

A relatively large outbreak in another major Chinese city after original epicenter Wuhan heightens the urgency for a more effective mRNA vaccine.