Chinese Covid vaccines 'don't have high protection rates

China's top disease control official has said the country's vaccines offer low protection against coronavirus, in a rare admission of weakness.

Gao Fu also said China was considering mixing vaccines as a way of boosting their effectiveness.

China has developed four different vaccines approved for public use, though some trials abroad had suggested efficacy as low as 50%.

Mr Gao later said his comments had been misinterpreted.

Beijing has insisted the jabs are effective and said in March that obtaining visas would be easier for foreigners who have received a Chinese vaccine.