Vaccination plans for children aged 3 to 11 released in some China regions

A number of provinces and regions across China have started COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged between 3 and 11.

The provinces of Hubei, Hainan, regions in Hunan Province including Changde, Yiyang and Yongzhou, and in Zhejiang Province including Jinhua, Quzhou and Pinghu have announced the vaccination plan, to be followed by Fujian Province and Fuyang in Anhui Province.

The inactivated vaccines are from Sinopharm Zhongsheng Beijing, Sinopharm Zhongsheng Wuhan and Sinovac.

The two-dose inoculation requires an interval of at least three weeks, with the second shot completed within eight weeks.

Children in this age group will be organized by schools and kindergartens or accompanied by their legal guardians to receive the vaccines after doctors' evaluation and their guardian signs an informed consent form.

According to an expert from the health commission in Hubei Province, administering vaccination to children is vital to build up a shield for the whole population and stop the spread of the virus. 

Local transmission is highly possible if a child is infected with the virus as schools are densely populated places. Some may become critically ill or even die as the disease develops. The COVID-19 cases that spread in Fujian Province in September were first detected in schools.