(Yicai Global) April 21 -- China could give Covid-19 vaccines to medical personnel as early as by the end of this year, according to a national health agency chief.

Medical staff should be protected by immunization first if the epidemic situation is severe, Beijing Daily reported, citing Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at a homecoming ceremony for the agency's team that had been dispatched to go to Hubei province, the early epicenter of the pandemic.

"I believe everyone will work hard to finish vaccine development as soon as possible," said Gao, although admitting that it may take till the end of this year or the beginning of the next one to finish research and development.

China's recombinant adenovirus-based vaccine has entered a phase two clinical trial, and some inactivated vaccines have started phase one trials, said Gao. Other inactivated and recombinant protein vaccines are in the works to move onto phase one trials, he added.

Editor: Emmi Laine