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China sets ambitious Covid-19 vaccination targets, officials say
- Beijing wants 90 per cent of those aged 80 and above to get first dose by late January, according to sources
- It also orders provinces to review jab status of elderly and build database of chronic disease sufferers, official says
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Beijing has set ambitious targets to boost vaccination among the elderly, tackling a major barrier to reopening China’s borders and reviving the economy, according to sources.
Three regional officials who attended recent policy briefings told the South China Morning Post that Beijing aimed to ensure that more than 90 per cent of those aged 80 and above received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of January. As of 2020, China had more than 36 million people in the age group.
Only 76.6 per cent of those aged 80 and above have received at least one shot, and only 40 per cent have received a booster dose.
China’s top health officials said on Tuesday that protecting the vulnerable elderly population through vaccination should be a top priority in the next stage of the fight against Covid-19, but they did not specify vaccination targets.
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However, the sources said a State Council task force overseeing vaccination of the elderly handed down targets to regional governments at a series of meetings in late November.
Beijing also wants 95 per cent of the total population to receive the first shot – up from 90.2 per cent now – and for eligible people aged 60-79 to receive a booster jab. It is unclear how many in the age group have already received a booster shot.
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A third major target is for 90 per cent of China’s eligible population to receive a booster jab in the next two months – something only about 57 per cent of the total population has had.
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