A domestically produced inactivated COVID-19 vaccine displayed at the fair Photo: Li Hao/GT

Three more cities in East China's Zhejiang Province are stepping up efforts to offer COVID-19 vaccines for urgent use, with priority being given to key groups in need before they can be rolled out to the general public, according to media reports. 

The cities of Yiwu, Ningbo and Shaoxing are targeting key groups with urgent need for vaccinations against COVID-19 following the city of Jiaxing, local media The Paper reported on Saturday.

According to the report, the emergency vaccinations have officially kicked off in Yiwu, an internationally renowned manufacturing hub. On Friday afternoon, about 20 people visited the community health center to receive vaccinations against COVID-19 within an hour. 

Most of the recipients are set to go abroad or have plans to go abroad in the near future, as is reported by The Paper. 

The Global Times has learnt from a Yiwu health authority that the COVID-19 shots have arrived in Yiwu's medical system, and are limited to a small part of the population in need of emergency vaccination, including frontline medical staff, personnel who ensure the city's basic operation, and public officials who need to travel to high-risk countries and regions on official duties.

Yiwu also has no plans to make the vaccine available to the general public at the time, but may consider offering the vaccination to the public if there is an abundant supply when the vaccine is officially on the market.

A staff member from the CDC of Ningbo also said the COVID-19 vaccine emergency vaccination is a priority for the key population. 

Citizens who are planning to go abroad will also be offered the vaccine in the future, as reported by The Paper.

Shaoxing is also offering the COVID-19 vaccines to those preparing to visit other countries. 

A staff member from the local CDC stated that appointments are currently only for those going abroad, and require proof such as an admission letter from an overseas university.

The Zhejiang provincial government said at a Friday press conference that it was working on voluntary COVID-19 vaccination for citizens across the province this winter, particularly high priority groups.

Earlier on Thursday, health authorities in Jiaxing announced that the city has been administering inactivated COVID-19 vaccines among high-risk groups and will gradually offer it to ordinary citizens for urgent use.

Global Times