JAKARTA - Advertisements for the COVID-19 vaccine with a selling price of 498 yuan or around IDR 1 million per dose are rampant through WeChat, China's most popular social media platform.
The advertisement also stated that just three injections were immune from the COVID-19 attack.
"Those who want to get vaccines contact me. Limited products. September 2 is officially marketed," said a screenshot of WeChat Moments, reported by Antara Friday, August 14.
Another chain advertisement reads that medical personnel and people who wish to travel abroad will get priority for this drug.
Based on images circulating online, the vaccine is thought to have been produced by Sinovac Life Sciences Corp and the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co, which are headquartered in Beijing.
Sinovac, as quoted by the Global Times, admits that it does not produce the vaccine which is widely advertised through social media because until now the product is still entering the third phase of clinical trials in Brazil and Indonesia.
According to the laws governing vaccines in China, the sale of vaccines through social media platforms such as WeChat is illegal.
Apart from communicable disease control and prevention agencies, no agency or individual is permitted to administer vaccines to recipients.
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