The China Speed: 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered

More than 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of June 19, according to the China's National Health Commission (NHC).

The NHC vowed to ensure a steady vaccine supply and facilitate mass vaccinations to build up a wider shield of immunity. The pace of immunization has been constantly accelerated. It took China only five days to bring the number of vaccinations from 900 million to 1 billion.

On March 27, China hit the landmark figure of 100 million inoculations. The number then reached 200 million on April 21, 300 million on May 7, 400 million on May 16, 500 million on May 23, 600 million on May 28, 700 million on June 2, 800 million on June 8, and the 900 million mark on June 14.

According to Our World in Data, China ranks at the top of worldwide rankings in terms of the total number of vaccine doses administered, followed by the US and India.

China's juggernaut of a vaccination drive has impressed the Western world, with many appreciating China's speed in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"That is seriously impressive! It's a shame that people's bias against China will cloud their perception of this achievement," commented one netizen on China's mass vaccination campaign.

"Believe me, China is doing the right thing," another added.

Zoltán Kis, a chemical engineer with the Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub at Imperial College London, greeted China's mass vaccination campaign as "a huge step in reducing the health-care and economic burden of the COVID-19 pandemic."