China coronavirus: Beijing vaccinates over 70 per cent of population in lead-up to Winter Olympics

Name: Nature or lab leak? Why tracing the origin of Covid-19 matters
Uploaded: 2021-06-18T09:42:42.000Z
Duration: 5 min 8 s
Description: Nature or lab leak? Why tracing the origin of Covid-19 matters

Beijing has administered 33.4 million doses, including to 15.6 million people who have completed their regimen

China has closed its borders to most foreigners except holders of business visas, with borders set to stay closed until China has a high level of vaccination

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Beijing has administered 33.4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines as it prepares to host the Winter Olympics in Februrary. Photo: Xinhua

Zhuang Pinghui

Published: 5:42pm, 18 Jun 2021Updated: 6:02pm, 18 Jun 2021

As the capital prepares to host the Winter Olympics, Beijing has become the first Chinese city to inoculate more than 70 per cent of its population.

Some 17.9 million adults in Beijing had received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot by noon on Wednesday, including 15.6 million who had completed their regimen, Beijing Daily reported.

In all, 80 per cent of all the adults – or 70 per cent of the total population in the capital – are fully inoculated. China aims to vaccinate at least 70 per cent of the population by the end of the year.

Beijing has the highest rate of vaccination in the country, with 33.4 million doses administered. By Thursday, more than 966.6 million doses had been given, and the 1 billion dose milestone was in sight.

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Nature or lab leak? Why tracing the origin of Covid-19 matters

Beijing, which is expected to host the Winter Olympics in February, remains largely closed with some direct overseas flights directed to other cities first. High-level meetings have been held as video conferences or hosted in other provinces.

The capital has scheduled a series of events later this year. The Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy, which serves as a test event for the Olympics, will be in Beijing from October 13 to 17. The Second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference, which was postponed from May last year, is expected to be held in October. It is not yet clear whether the UN conference will be held virtually.