They were sold as coronavirus vaccines, but they were something else | the Chronicle

Chinese police have arrested more than 80 people on suspicion of being involved in a conspiracy to sell fake COVID-19 vaccines, and whose marketing would have started in September of last year.

State newspaper Global Times have reported that Chinese authorities In addition, 3000 doses of this false antigen were seized during the operation.

According to the source, the criminal network was present in several cities and the raid was carried out jointly by security forces in Beijing and the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong.

The fake vaccines consisted of syringes pre-filled with saline solution and sold at high prices.

Cited by the point of sale, a vaccine expert named Tao Lina, assured that “The saline-filled ‘vaccines’ have no effect, but they don’t cause any health problems either, so it’s clear the suspects wanted money, not harm people.”

Other sources cited by Global Times they argued that this network he could be involved in the marketing of these fake vaccines abroad.

On January 28, Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac, developer of one of the Asian country’s vaccines, issued a statement warning that “Some companies and individuals have falsified and used Sinovac authorization documents” to try to act like “Distributors of CoronaVac Covid-19 vaccine and other immunization products in markets outside of China”.

Last year, China launched a series of vaccination campaigns for special cases, such as the military or diplomats displaced abroad.

Similarly, the health authorities launched a campaign a few weeks ago aims to vaccinate up to 50 million Chinese before the arrival of the Year of the Ox on February 12, since these celebrations are accompanied by massive displacements, that Beijing He fears they may be used to spread the virus at a time when there are several active outbreaks.