For those who are still hesitant about getting the jabs these couple of days, some good (and bad) news on China's partnership with German's BioNTech mRNA vaccines front from Caixin Global.

The article titled, "China Plans to Use BioNTech Vaccine as Booster Shot, Sources Say" was published this morning.

"Chinese drug regulators completed an expert panel review of a Covid-19 mRNA vaccine co-developed by Fosun Pharma with Germany’s BioNTech SE, and now the shot is in the administration review stage, according to Fosun.

The Shanghai pharmaceutical company is sticking with its previously announced plan to start domestic trial production by the end of August, Fosun Chairman Wu Yifang said Wednesday at a shareholders’ meeting.

Chinese authorities plan to use the vaccine, with the brand name Comirnaty, as a booster shot for people who have received inactivated-virus forms of vaccines, people close to regulators told Caixin. The booster shot is likely offered free, the person said.

China administered more than 1.2 billion vaccine doses as of July 1, according to the National Health Commission. Most received inactivated-virus vaccines made by Sinovac and state-owned Sinopharm Group that have demonstrated lower efficacy than mRNA vaccines.

While awaiting regulatory clearance, Fosun Pharma and BioNTech started preparation and equipment procurement for their Shanghai joint venture. Construction of production lines in the Shanghai factory is set to be completed in August, Fosun said in June.

Fosun and BioNTech in May announced plans to set up the Shanghai facility to co-produce BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine Comirnaty, also known as BNT162b2. The venture is part of a broader partnership formed in early 2020 to bring the vaccine to China.

Wu said the Shanghai factory will hit its annual production capacity of 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine by the end of this year. With the assistance of Fosun’s other facilities, monthly output can expand to 100 million to 200 million doses, Wu said."

www.caixinglobal.com/[...]

As posted in the other thread. Your decision to holdout or get the vaccine now may also depend on changing policies that may or may not effect Yunnan. Decisions may also depend on unique intra/inter-province travel plans.

As suggested from above article, the mRNA vaccines from BioNTech may be allocated ONLY as booster shots for previous Chinese vaccine recipients, and may not be rolled out as standalone two dose shots by authorities. We'll probably have to wait until late next month or so for more precise details.

From the WSJ:

"In recent days, a dozen counties and cities in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi set late-August deadlines for people 18 years or older to complete a two-shot vaccine regimen, according to similarly worded online statements. Many of them also set dates in late July by which unvaccinated people would be barred from entering schools, libraries, prisons, nursing homes and inpatient facilities at hospitals without a valid medical exemption."

source: www.wsj.com/[...]

Futhermore, in a state-affiliated Global Times article titled "China to vaccinate 91% of minors aged from 12 to 17".... inoculation for schoolchildren under 18 may be rolling out in the near future across China. "An insider from the vaccine industry revealed that 16 provinces in the Chinese mainland will also start vaccinating people aged from 15-17 in July and the rest 16 provinces will follow in August." Whether overlapping additional jab windows for foreigners is to be seen.

www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1228567.shtml

Thanks DanTheMan for the timely share.

This news was also shared on WeChat news (Follow "昆明出入境"). So 100rmb per dose. Quite reasonable. Perhaps GoKunming can post this info on the featured front page:

"From July 14th, Kunming will start appointment-based COVID-19 vaccination for foreigners in the city

　　(Press release)

　　Acting on the national arrangement of the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council of China, Kunming has set the whole process in motion for the inoculation of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines for foreigners in the city, following the principle of giving informed consent, voluntary application, and assuming personal responsibility for risk. Starting from July 14th, foreigners at the age of 18 and above in Kunming may take domestically-developed COVID-19 vaccines. Follow us, and you will get answers to the 10 most asked questions by foreigners in Kunming.

　　1. Is there an age limit?

　　Foreigners who work, study or reside in Kunming as well as meet the vaccination eligibility requirements should be 18 years old and above for vaccination.

　　2. What kind of vaccines will I receive?

　　The city currently uses the domestically-developed inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. Two doses are required for the entire inoculation process with 21 days of interval.

　　3. How do I make an appointment for the vaccination?

　　(1) Foreigners in Kunming can make an appointment for vaccination through the following channels: international students and foreign teachers should file an application through their universities and foreigners employed in Kunming should apply through their companies. Universities and companies will collect and sort out the lists of foreigners who need vaccination, and then make group appointment with designated hospitals by providing the aforesaid list. Other foreigners in Kunming should make an appointment with the designated hospitals.

　　(2) Appointment hotlines of designated hospitals:

　　Yan'an Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University: 15288453637.

　　Kunming Calmette International Hospital: 15877990400.

　　Chenggong District of Kunming Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine: 15025119841.

　　4. What is the schedule of inoculation?

　　The schedule for the inoculation of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines for foreigners in the city is: (everyday from 08:30 to 17:00) July 14 to 18, 2021 for the first dose, and (everyday from 08:30 to 17:00) August 5 to 9, 2021 for the second dose.

　　5. Where can I receive vaccination?

　　The vaccination locations are: Yan'an Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming Calmette International Hospital, and Chenggong District of Kunming Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Both doses of the vaccine for an individual should be inoculated in the same hospital.

　　6. What documents do I need to provide?

　　Foreigners need to provide valid ID when making an appointment for vaccination. Please present your Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card of the People’s Republic of China or passport and valid residence permit at the vaccination site.

Those who have been covered by medical insurance plan should bring a valid medical insurance participation certificate (Social Security Card) and a photocopy of the Social Security Card. Please make sure that the relevant documents are valid on the date of vaccination.

　　7. What materials do I need to sign?

　　Before receiving the vaccination, for your own protection, do inform the medical staff of your own physical conditions. The professionals at the designated hospital will then determine if you are eligible for vaccination. Those who are eligible will sign the Informed Consent and the Letter of Commitment (a statement on bearing personal responsibility for all risks associated with vaccination).

　　8. Do I need to pay for the vaccination?

　　Foreigners who have been covered by China’s social security and medical insurance plan will receive vaccination free of charge by presenting their medical insurance participation certificate (Social Security Card) on vaccination site. Those who have not should bear the cost of 100 yuan/dose (including vaccine fee and vaccination service fee), and cash payment in RMB only.

　　9. What care should I take after the vaccine shots?

　　After receiving the vaccine shot, you need to stay in the observation area for 30 minutes at the site of vaccination and may only leave when there is no discomforts. If you have persistent fever or other symptoms after vaccination, please seek for medical attention and report to the designated hospital immediately.

　　10. How do I get the vaccination certificate?

　　After the vaccination is completed, you may request the vaccination certificate from the staff of the designated hospital."

Source from a more familiar Sina web link:

k.sina.com.cn/article_2773976700_a557867c01900ud42.html

The Epoch Times, as summarized by Google:

"The Epoch Times is a far-right international multi-language newspaper and media company affiliated with the Falun Gong new religious movement."

Not a reliable source shared Geezer, again.

Here's a detailed piece by The Atlantic describing The Epoch Times, titled "MAGA-land’s Favorite Newspaper: How The Epoch Times became a pro-Trump propaganda machine in an age of plague and insurrection"

www.theatlantic.com/[...]

Geezer, since early 2020, you've been downplaying the budding epidemic, in tandem with Trump's GOP narrative, as just a flu that would soon go away. Now, over four million Covid victims have died worldwide, and counting. Your hunch was wrong.

With the more transmissible Delta variant lurking worldwide, not just rearing their ugly heads in Asia, it's not an opportune time to dissuade the public from mass inoculation with repeated disinformation via sources lacking reputable, evidence-based science, such as The Epoch Times.

I'd suggest putting political biases aside and look at the aggregate global data accumulated for over a year. Vaccines have overall been effective in staving off serious Covid-related symptoms/illnesses and deaths for the majority of fully vaccinated individuals. No, WHO approved vaccines are not 100% flawlessly impenetrable, nor was that ever advertised. Vaccines have helped saved innumerable lives around the world, and will continue to do so. Yes, more data are needed regarding Chinese vaccine efficacy against the highly transmissible Delta variants, which are now being passed the pandemic baton from the Alpha, spreading quickly among the unvaccinated. In the US alone, 9 out of 10 Covid deaths in the month of June were unvaccinated Americans.

Ruili is experiencing another spike in cases (15). City entrance and exit have been restricted for those without special permission.