The end of China's zero-covid policy

The real reason for China's zero-covid policy is because their vaccine does not work very well on the Omicron variant and they are afraid of overloading their health system if they allow the virus to spread. But as we all know, all the vaccines don't work very well, but the covid anti-virals do work well at preventing severe symptoms.

China has just signed agreements to supply China with Pfizer's and Merck's covid anti-viral pills. This gives China the same hospital treatments for covid as used by the West which have worked well to reduce deaths and the severity of the disease.

In the case of the Merck deal, it is a technology transfer deal. For a fixed price Sinopharm can now manufacture as much of Merck's anti-covid pills as required - making them available and easily affordable to everyone who wants them for the prevention of severe symptoms and disease. (See here).

China is also developing 10 home-grown covid antivirals. Some have proved effective and have already been approved. (See here.)

The end of China's zero covid policy and return to normal growth would see a massive increase in EV production and the consumption of renewable energy metals including copper and nickel. So don't think for a minute that BHP has lost interest in OZL which is a perfect fit for BHP's intent to become a renewable energy metals company.