China approves emergency use of Covid shots for kids aged 3-17

China has approved two Covid-19 vaccines produced by Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and Sinopharm for emergency use in people aged three to 17, as the country races to inoculate its more than 1.4 billion people.

The two shots were given the green light after expanded clinical trials found they were safe and capable of stimulating a strong immune response among children and teens, Shao Yiming, a researcher with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a briefing Friday in Beijing. Officials didn’t say when they would begin administering the shots.