The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that COVID-19 vaccines being developed in China may be ready for use by the general public as early as November 2020, Reuters news agency reported on Tuesday.

Currently, China has four COVID-19 vaccines in the final stage of clinical trials. At least three of those have already been offered to essential workers under an emergency use programme launched in July 2020.

CDC chief biosafety expert, Guizhen Wu, was quoted as saying in an interview with state TV that Phase 3 clinical trials were proceeding smoothly and the vaccines could be ready for the general public in November or December 2020.

Wu, who said she has experienced no abnormal symptoms in recent months after taking an experimental vaccine herself in April 2020, did not specify which vaccines she was referring to.

Reportedly, a unit of state pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) and the US-listed Sinovac Biotech (Nasdaq:SVA) are developing the three vaccines under the state's emergency use programme. A fourth COVID-19 vaccine being developed by CanSino Biologics (HKSE:6185.HK) was approved for use by the Chinese military in June 2020.

Also, Sinopharm had said in July 2020 that its vaccine could be ready for public use by the end of this year after the conclusion of Phase 3 trials.