China says Xi and other leaders got local shots in rare disclosure

China said all its leaders received locally made COVID-19 shots, the first time a confirmation was made in the absence of a vaccine mandate for the country with the world’s strictest controls against the virus.

The Chinese leadership is “highly confident” in domestic vaccines, National Health Commission official Zeng Yixin said at a briefing on Saturday. The department also addressed concerns surrounding the shots, saying the vaccines won’t trigger illnesses such as leukemia and diabetes.