People wearing face masks line up to receive the COVID-19 vaccines at a vaccination site in Jiangxia District in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, June 9, 2021. (Photo:Xinhua)

 
The Chinese city of Wuhan is among the latest to roll out plans to give COVID-19 booster shots to key groups, including people working in posts with high-risk infections and those who have a weak immunity system, above 60 years old and others. 

Wuhan’s center for disease control and prevention issued the notice on Monday. It said that the city is kicking off the booster shot campaign as China still faces risks of COVID-19 flare ups and the efficiency of COVID-19 vaccines, just as other vaccines, fades as times goes by.

Thus, Wuhan decided to give booster shots to people who work in high-risk places, such as customs office, border check department, collective quarantine institutes and hospitals, and so forth. 

Those who have a weak immunity system, and are above 60 years old; employees who have contact with imported goods, especially cold-chain products; public servants and others will also be arranged to receive the booster shots.

The center said that experts have proved the safety of COVID-19 booster shots, which can also rapidly elevate neutralizing antibody levels. 

Vaccines developed by Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSinoBIO are among the options for the booster shots, said the center.

China is accelerating the inoculation of booster shots for key groups to further consolidate the nation's epidemic prevention and control achievements, and to improve the protection efficacy for people at high risk of infection in a timely manner.

In the latest move, cities in four provinces including East China's Anhui, Fujian, Northeast China's Heilongjiang, and Central China's Hubei and in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region launched the campaign during the past weekend. 

Global Times