After rare protests, China increases COVID vaccine for the elderly

• China will speed up COVID-19 vaccines for the elderly to ease “zero-COVID” restrictions.
• The move is considered as vital to unwinding three years of harsh restraints.
• They have undermined economic development.

China will speed up COVID-19 vaccines for the elderly to ease “zero-COVID” restrictions.

The move is considered as vital to unwinding three years of harsh restraints that have undermined economic development, disrupted millions’ lives, and spurred record weekend protests.

The National Health Commission (NHC) will increase immunizations for persons over 80 and minimize the interval between basic and booster injections to three months.

“We hope our old friends, especially those over 80, will get vaccinated for their own health,” said Xia Gang, an NHC vaccination official.

Optimizing services and improving publicity were priorities, he said.

The NHC stated mobile immunization vans will be available for the elderly.

It will promote the benefits of vaccines in preventing serious sickness and death to combat vaccine hesitancy among elderly Chinese.

By November 11, 86.4% of 60-year-olds had received two treatments, up less than 1% since August.

68.2% of seniors received a booster injection, up from 67.8% three months earlier.

Chinese officials are investigating some of those who protested COVID curbs over the weekend, while police patrol Beijing’s streets.

On one occasion, a caller claimed as a Beijing police officer ordered a demonstrator to produce a written record of their Sunday night activities on Tuesday.

In another, a colleague asked a student if they had witnessed events to offer a written statement.

Unidentified Beijing protester: “We’re all deleting chat history.” Too many cops. My friend’s ID was checked and she was taken away. No idea. They released her hours later.”

Beijing’s Public Security Bureau didn’t comment. China’s foreign ministry stated rights and freedoms must be exercised legally.

Unrest over COVID prevention policies The pandemic’s third year sparked weekend protests in towns thousands of kilometers away.

Mainland China’s strongest wave of civil disobedience since President Xi Jinping took power a decade ago comes as COVID cases hit record daily highs and numerous cities face fresh lockdowns.

A health official said COVID complaints were about inflexible implementation.

“The public’s concerns aren’t about epidemic prevention and control, but about simplifying measures,” Cheng Youquan told reporters.

COVID has spread despite China’s isolation and demands from its populace for periodic testing and isolation.

Chinese colleges send students home.

Tsinghua University and other Beijing and Guangdong schools announced they were shielding students from COVID-19. Dispersing them lessens the chance of more activism after last weekend’s campus protests.

Some universities provided transportation to train stations. They started online classes and finals.

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