BEIJING (CAIXIN GLOBAL) - One year into a pandemic that has claimed more than 2 million lives and left most parts of the world shuttered, people around the globe are counting on effective Covid-19 vaccines to bring back normal life.

At least seven vaccines against the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 have won approval for public or emergency use in several countries, setting off a global race to protect people against the raging virus. About 200 more candidate inoculations are under development, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).