Returning to work

Beijing has launched a massive COVID- 19 vaccination campaign after it basically finished the inoculation of key groups around the Spring Festival holidays, with many districts expected to complete the drive in May.

Beijing’s most populous district – Chaoyang – opened inoculation venues gradually to the general public aged 18- 59 starting on Thursday. Daxing and 15 sub- districts in Xicheng started their vaccination programs on Wednesday.

Fengtai, Shunyi, Fangshan and Miyun started their campaigns before the Spring Festival.

Xicheng authorities said they had opened 16 venues with 50 vaccination tables, where they expect to give 10,164 doses a day.

Fengtai said that it expected to administer about 10,000 doses every day at all of its 22 vaccination sites. The district will finish vaccination of the general public by the end of May.

Authorities in Tongzhou said that the district is likely to complete the campaign in mid- May. It has opened 17 venues where daily inoculations could reach 20,000 doses.

Media reported that as of January 16, China’s capital city had inoculated 1.7 million residents and could vaccinate another 100,000 to 150,000 a day. The emergency inoculation program had administered two doses to 2.5 million people by about February 10.

Beijing has more than 20 million residents and 70- 85 percent of them need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, which would be 14 million people or more.

Experts estimated that the city now can inoculate at least 200,000 people a day and the capacity will further expand. It is very likely the city will finish the massive COVID- 19 vaccination program in May with sufficient manpower and vaccines.

Jiang Chunlai, a professor from Jilin University’s School of Life Sciences, said on Thursday that to meet the target of massive vaccinations, more manpower will be assigned, and a stable and constant vaccine supply is guaranteed.

VCG Photo: Passengers arrive at the Beijing West Railway Station on Thursday, as Spring Festival holidays came to an end.

Photo: AFP Farmers block railway tracks during a four- hour rail blockade as they continue their protest against the central government’s recent agricultural reforms, at a railway station in Amritsar, India on Thursday. Authorities deployed thousands of security forces at railroad stations and tracks to prevent violence.