Chilean leader expresses joy as Chinese vaccine lands

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Thursday welcomed the arrival of nearly 2 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech as the country prepares for a mass vaccination campaign.

"Today is a day of joy, excitement and hope because, as you see behind me, there is the plane that brought a shipment of almost 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccines from China," Pinera said after the aircraft landed at the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in the capital Santiago.

The vaccine doses, which were stored and shipped at a temperature of between 2C and 8C to keep them in perfect condition, were immediately unloaded from a LATAM Airlines aircraft in the South American country.

Pinera said the Chilean Health Ministry had approved Sinovac's Corona-Vac vaccine as "safe and effective" for immunizing everyone over 18.

Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Friday that China is willing to work with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region to make contributions to making vaccines available and affordable for developing countries.

Agencies - Xinhua