U.S. top universities recognize Sinopharm vaccine, facilitate return of Chinese students

The Chinese Consulate General in New York on Wednesday issued a notice saying that a number of U.S. universities, including Harvard and Columbia, have recognized COVID-19 vaccine produced by China's Sinopharm following the approval of the vaccine's emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO).

For Chinese students already inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine, the notice said they no longer need to take COVID-19 shots in the U.S. upon their arrival at campuses.

The schools that have recognized Sinopharm vaccine are Harvard University, Columbia University, New York University, Yale University, Dartmouth College, University of Rochester, and Lafayette College, according to the announcement.

Their decisions were made after the WHO gave Emergency Use Listing to Sinopharm Beijing's COVID-19 vaccine on May 7, making it the sixth vaccine globally to receive WHO validation for safety, efficacy and quality, the organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

In late April, there were signs that academic exchanges between the two countries were resuming, as U.S. authorities eased travel bans for Chinese students, announcing that those with academic programs beginning August 1 or later can enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days before the start of their academic activities.

The U.S. embassy and consulates in China also opened visa appointments for Chinese students on May 4.