China says customs should prioritise inspection for COVID-19 vaccine exports


(Reuters) – China said on Tuesday that its customs department should prioritise procedures for exports of COVID-19 vaccines and make their clearance convenient.

Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac vaccine are being shipped to Indonesia, Turkey and Brazil for mass inoculation drives, while countries including Egypt and United Arab Emirates have received doses from China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).

Customs should prioritise inspection procedures for carriers handling COVID-19 vaccine exports and make it convenient to clear shipments, China’s transport ministry said in a guideline about COVID-19 vaccine logistics.

Local transport authorities in China should also set up green channels to prioritise clearing vaccine shipment, the guideline said.