China announced on Tuesday that it will intensify efforts to vaccinate people who are aged 60 and above against the Covid-19 virus, as the country has in recent days been seen recording daily cases.
China recorded 38,421 domestic infections on Tuesday, a decrease from the weekend’s record highs and comparable to the caseloads reported in western countries during the height of the pandemic.
The announcement follows a weekend of rallies calling for an end to the country’s draconian zero-Covid policy, which response to even modest caseloads with severe lockdowns and quarantine orders.
The National Health Commission (NHC) of Beijing vowed to accelerate the increase in the vaccination rate for persons over the age of 80 and continue to enhance the immunization rate for those aged 60-79.
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In addition, the government said that it will create a special working group to make specific provisions for the vaccination of the elderly against Covid.
“It is necessary to conduct popular science education on the meaning and benefits of vaccination, and fully publicize vaccines’ efficacy on preventing severe illness and death,” it added.
The poor immunization rates in China, particularly among the elderly, have long been viewed as perpetuating Beijing’s zero-tolerance policy regarding Covid.
NHC authorities stated during a press briefing on Tuesday that just 65.8 percent of those over the age of 80 are fully vaccinated.
And China has not yet authorized the public use of the more effective mRNA vaccinations.
Many are concerned that lifting this prohibition while large portions of the population remain unvaccinated could overwhelm China’s healthcare system and result in more than one million deaths.
People took to the streets in China’s biggest cities on Sunday to protest severe lockdowns and greater restrictions on freedom of movement in response to the zero-Covid policy.
Last week’s catastrophic fire in Urumqi, the capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang region, sparked the wave of anger, with demonstrators blaming Covid restrictions for hindering rescue attempts – charges the government has disputed.
China recorded 38,421 domestic infections on Tuesday, a decrease from the weekend’s record highs and comparable to the caseloads reported in western countries during the height of the pandemic.
