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China has administered 22.77 coronavirus vaccine doses now, Chinese authorities said on Wednesday, as the country prepared for the upcoming Chinese New Year or Spring Festival which falls on February 12.
China's vaccination scheme is rolling out smoothly and the number of people who are willing to be inoculated is increasing. China has administered 22.77 doses of coronavirus vaccine to people in frontline and high-risk positions as of Tuesday, Zeng Yixin, deputy head of China's National Health Commission (NHC) said at a press conference Wednesday.
Aiming to build herd immunity through mass vaccination, Chinese authorities previously said China was planning to vaccinate 50 million people in high-risk groups before Chinese New Year to curb the spread of the virus.
Zeng said that the NHC is pushing for vaccination based on the principle of inoculating high-risk-post people first. The campaign will mainly focus on people working in coastal port regions, transportation venues, medical institutions and the public service industry.
The Chinese official also stressed the safety of vaccines. "Every dose of vaccine should be traceable. Working staff must inform people of contraindications before injecting them and monitor them for any adverse reactions," Zeng said.
While China rolls out its vaccination campaign, the government is encouraging people to stay in the city where they work for the Spring Festival, saying "Chinese people's choice to stay for Spring Festival will provide the biggest support for the country's anti-virus drive."
"Staying in your city of work for the upcoming Spring Festival is not mandatory", said Chinese officials, adding that people from high- and medium-risk regions should adopt the policy, but it is only a recommendation for people living in low-risk regions.
Local governments should not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to stopping residents from returning to their hometowns and provide convenience for those who need to return to their hometowns.
The risk of local spread of COVID-19 remains high due to some loopholes in rural areas, potential imported infections, and increasing flow of population as Spring Festival draws near, Zhao Chenxi, an official with the NHC stressed.
The number of daily imported cases in January is twice that of November last year, Chinese authorities said, indicating a severe anti-epidemic situation caused by imported cases.
To encourage people to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival in the cities where they work instead of returning to their hometowns, China will increase the provision of online television programs and free online platform entertaining shows.
Employers are encouraged to dole out extra bonus red packets to their workers, and make sure not to cut jobs in a bid to encourage people to stay put for the holiday, officials from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said.
China's daily nucleic acid testing capability has now surpassed 15 million, and overall testing capabilities could further improve if batch testing methods are adopted, Zeng Yixin said at the press conference.