2 provinces start giving booster shots to key groups

Zhejiang and Henan provinces will start to administer booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines from September to key target groups, according to press briefings in the two provinces yesterday.

The vaccination boosters are intended for key groups aged 18-59 who have completed two doses of inactivated vaccines more than six months ago.

The key groups, who completed the two doses before March 1, April 1 and May 1, will be given the booster shots accordingly in September, October and November 2021.

This round aims at key population, including susceptible people and personnel in essential roles.

These key population includes, but are not limited to, front-line customs inspection and quarantine personnel, port-related personnel, medical personnel, and related personnel in agencies and institutions that directly serve the public, like fire protection and public security.

According to China's Health Commission, more than 1 billion people have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and a total of 2.16 billion jabs had been administered in China as of September 15.

Over 141 million vaccine jabs had been administered in Henan Province, and over 114 million in Zhejiang as of September 16, official local figures showed.