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World neWs Diamars 4 mei 2021

Russia turns to China to make Sputnik shots to meet demand

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Russia tries, with only 11.5 million doses ex-
is turning to multiple Chinese ported so far.
firms to manufacture the Sput-
nik V coronavirus vaccine in an RDIF declined to disclose how many
effort to speed up production as doses are going to other countries.
demand soars for its shot. Through April 27, less than 27 mil-
lion two-dose sets of Sputnik V have
Russia has announced three deals been reportedly produced in Russia.
totaling 260 million doses with Chi-
nese vaccine companies in recent The Russian Direct Investment
weeks. It's a decision that could mean Fund, which has been in charge of
quicker access to a shot for countries international cooperation for Sputnik
in Latin America, the Middle East, V, said in April it would produce 100
and Africa that have ordered Russia's million doses in collaboration with
vaccine, as the U.S. and the Europe- Hualan Biological Bacterin Inc., in
an Union focus mainly on domestic addition to an earlier deal announced
vaccination needs. in March for 60 million doses with
Shenzhen Yuanxin Gene tech Co.
Earlier criticism about Russia's vac-
cine have been largely quieted by data The two deals are in addition to a deal
published in the British medical jour- announced last November with Ti- "This is an acknowledgment of the A spokeswoman for Shenzhen Yu-
nal The Lancet that said large-scale bet Rhodiola Pharmaceutical Hold- Chinese vaccine manufacturers who anxing declined to say when the
testing showed it to be safe, with an ing Co, which had paid $9 million to can produce at volume," said Helen company will start production but
efficacy rate of 91%. manufacture and sell the Sputnik V Chen, head of pharmaceuticals LEK said their order would not be for sale
vaccine in China. RDIF said in April Consulting, strategy consultancy within China. RDIF had said the
Yet, experts have questioned whether the terms of the deal were for 100 firm in Shanghai, in an email. production will start this month.
Russia can fulfill its pledge to coun- million doses with a subsidiary com-
tries across the world. While pledging pany belonging to Tibet Rhodiola. However, none of the three Chinese In spite of the delays, Russia's vaccine
hundreds of millions of doses, it has companies have yet to start manufac- diplomacy has made gains.
only delivered a fraction. Russia is "very ambitious and un- turing Sputnik V.
likely to meet their full targets," said From the outset, Russia, the first
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov Rasmus Bech Hansen, founder and Tibet Rhodiola started constructing a country to approve a coronavirus
has said demand for Sputnik V sig- CEO of Airfinity. Working with Chi- factory in Shanghai at the end of last vaccine, aimed to distribute it global-
nificantly exceeds Russia's domestic na to produce Sputnik V could be a year and expects production to start ly. Within weeks of giving Sputnik V
production capacity. win-win situation for both Russia in September, the company said at regulatory approval, RDIF started ac-
and China, he added. an annual meeting for investors last tively marketing it abroad, announc-
To boost production, the Russian Di- month. Tibet Rhodiola's chairman ing multiple deals to supply the shot
rect Investment Fund, which bank- In recent years, Chinese vaccine Chen Dalin also said that after the to other countries. It is so far winning
rolled Sputnik V, has signed agree- companies have turned from largely successful technology transfer, they the "public relations" battle, analysts
ments with multiple drug makers in making products for use domesti- will start with an order of 80 mil- said in a new report examining Russia
other countries, such as India, South cally to supplying the global market, lion doses to sell back to Russia. An and China's vaccine diplomacy from
Korea, Brazil, Serbia, Turkey, Italy with individual firms gaining WHO employee at the company declined the Economist Intelligence Unit.
and others. There are few indica- preapproval for specific vaccines — to transfer a phone call request to
tions, however, that manufacturers seen as a seal of quality. With the pan- the company's media department for "Russia has been able to build stron-
abroad, except for those in Belarus demic, Chinese vaccine companies comment. ger diplomatic ties and in areas where
and Kazakhstan, have made any large have exported hundreds of millions it hasn't been able to," before, said
amounts of the vaccine so far. of doses abroad. The timeline for the newest deals are Imogen Page-Jarrett, an analyst at
also unclear. Hualan Bio was among EIU. "They have this window of op-
Airfinity, a London-based science Chinese vaccine makers have been the 10 largest vaccines manufacturers portunity while the US, E.U. and In-
analytics company, estimates Russia quick to expand capacity and say they in China in 2019. Phone calls to Hua- dia are focusing on domestic and the
agreed to supply some 630 million can meet China's domestic need by lan Bio went unanswered. rest of the world is crying out for a
doses of Sputnik V to over 100 coun- the end of the year. vaccine supply."

Cafes, restaurants reopen in Greece for outdoor service

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — for the first time in nearly view to opening the vital unseasonably warm weather walks and in nearby apart-
Cafes and restaurants re- six months, as the country tourism industry in the to head to sidewalk cafes. ment entrances.
opened in Greece on Mon- began easing coronavirus- summer.
day for sit-down service related restrictions with a A maximum of six customers Greece has been gradually
Cafes, restaurants and bars, are allowed per table, while easing restrictions despite
which had been shut to all staff must carry out compul- stubbornly high infection
but takeout and delivery ser- sory coronavirus home self- rates and hospitalizations that
vices when lockdown-type tests. A nightly curfew that have strained its health sys-
measures were imposed in was in force from 9 p.m. is tem. The country of about 11
early November, reopened being pushed back to 11 p.m. million people has seen near-
for outdoor seated service as of Monday, with bars, res- ly 10,500 deaths and 346,500
only. Tables are set a certain taurants and cafes allowed to confirmed cases since the
distance apart to maintain so- remain open until 15 min- start of the pandemic, ac-
cial distancing, while stand- utes before curfew. cording to the latest figures
ing customers and music available from Saturday.
aren't allowed. In recent weeks, the curfew
had been largely ignored, Tourism is a vital industry for
The reopening comes on a with bars and cafes serv- the country, and tourism-re-
national holiday, the day after ing drinks for takeout, and lated businesses and services
Orthodox Easter, and many crowds of customers form- are scheduled to reopen on
people took advantage of the ing outside, standing on side- May 15.