People will receive Covid-19 vaccines at a temporary vaccination center in Beijing on January 8th
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China has administered more than 9 million doses of anti-coronavirus vaccine as the country showers for a possible increase in winter infections.
Approximately 7.5 million doses have been given since Dec. 15, officials told a briefing in Beijing. Vaccinations are free for all citizens and the costs will be covered by the medicare fund and fiscal budgets, they said.
China sees an increased risk of the virus spreading in the winter as people travel and gather for holidays, National Health Commission Deputy Chief Zeng Yixin told reporters.
The distribution of the vaccine is initially targeted at high – risk population groups because production capacity cannot be sustained, Zeng said. Capacity is now steadily rising and will allow it to deliver doses to the masses, he said, without providing a timeline.
China is “active, open and supportive” of a trip to Wuhan with the World Health Organization to find out where the virus came from, Zeng said. China has set up its own experts to work with WHO experts in Wuhan. The timing of the WHO team’s arrival in China is still being determined, he said.
– Supported by John Liu, and Dingmin Zhang
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