BEIJING — Mainland China announced significant progress Tuesday in getting Covid-19 booster shots for people “over age 80.”
As of Monday, 65.8% of that age category had received booster shots, an official told reporters.
That is up from 40% as of Nov. 11, in response to prior disclosures.
China also announced a latest push to get its elderly population further vaccinated for Covid-19.
An official said at a press conference that vaccination continues to be effective in stopping severe illness and death, and that the elderly are amongst the largest beneficiaries.
The document didn’t provide specific details on how authorities would go about vaccinating more people.
Analysts have said that getting a greater share of the population vaccinated would help put China on the trail to reopening. Only China-made vaccines are locally available to date.
The Covid vaccination rate for older people in China is usually below that of the U.S. and Singapore.
Tuesday’s announcement and press conference followed a weekend of unrest as pockets of individuals in cities across China vented their frustration with Covid policy. Local officials had tightened measures in some areas, in contrast with signals from Beijing earlier within the month that suggested China was on its way toward reopening.
The weekend demonstrations weighed on market sentiment in Asia on Monday. There have been no indications of subsequent protests amid heightened security.
Mainland China’s latest Covid controls have negatively affected 25.1% of national GDP as of Monday, in response to a Nomura model. That is above the prior peak of 21.2% recorded in April in the course of the lockdown in Shanghai.
When asked in English whether China was reconsidering its Covid policy after the protests, an official simply said they’ve been monitoring the virus’ development, without further elaboration.
The country reported for Monday the primary drop in day by day local infections in greater than per week.
