New Delhi

With the increased spread of Covid in China, there is a shortage of antiviral medicines such as Pfizer's Paxlovid. As a result, citizens are turning to the black market to buy these medicines.

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An abrupt U-turn by the government on the Zero-Covid policy earlier this month surprised health experts as well as residents, as officials appeared to have done little planning for the inevitable increase in infections that came with restarting activities, according to a report by news agency Bloomberg on Thursday. 

The planning also includes having easy access to anti-viral therapies that can be used to treat people who are infected and are at a higher of hospitalisation. 

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The current spike in infections has boosted the demand for medicines. However, Chinese citizens are facing a shortage of supply and are seeking out online sales to get generic versions of the medicines that are made elsewhere and not approved for sale in the country, Bloomberg reported on Thursday citing social media posts and media reports. 

Pfizer's Paxlovid is the only foreign medicine to treat Covid that has been approved by the Chinese government for nationwide use. Last week, China Meheco Co reached a deal with Pfizer to import and distribute Paxlovid. And in August, the American pharmaceutical announced a deal with Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co to make Paxlovid's ingredients inside the country, the report said. 

In a statement, Pfizer said that it was collaborating with all stakeholders to secure an adequate supply of the drug in China and remained committed to fulfilling the needs of patients in the country and across the globe. The pharmaceutical added it was also committed to bringing medicines and therapies including Paxlovid that would benefit the country's patients as soon as possible, the report added.  

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However, ordinary residents in China have pointed out that they were not able to buy Paxlovid despite the government importing thousands of boxes of this life-saving medicine. 

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A user on the Weibo platform said on December 17 that she was buying the generic Paxlovid made in Bangladesh because she had an elderly relative and couldn’t get a hold of the medicine in China.

Another Weibo user called for easier and quicker access to the pills. 

People who are able to buy Pfizer's medicine are paying astronomical prices. According to a report by the 21st Century Business Herald, a white collar worker in Guangdong, who did not wish to be identified, paid 5,800 yuan ($830) to a Hong Kong agent for a box of Paxlovid, which is more than double the official price in mainland China. The report added that purchasing agents sold over 50,000 boxes of foreign anti-virals since the Chinese government's first steps towards easing the Zero-Covid policy. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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