Hong Kong (CNN)Beijing is on Wednesday for residents to infect civiliansCovid-19Announced Vaccine Mandatory The venue became the first city on the mainlandChinaas it seeks to contain the highly infectious Omicron subspecies.
From July 11th, proof of vaccination to enter various public places in the Chinese capital, such as cinemas, libraries, museums, gyms, stadiums, training centers, cities, etc. Must be presented. Health officials said a news briefing on Wednesday.
Officials added that people who are "unsuitable" for vaccination are exempt from the requirement without clarifying how they can provide evidence of tax exemption.
Where capacity is limited or where reservations are required, admission to vaccinated customers should be prioritized.
Seniors who visit venues that offer activities specifically for the elderly, such as recreation centers and game rooms, need to be vaccinated as soon as possible, officials said. The
Delayed vaccination rates for the elderly
China is outlier of the continuation of the zero corona approach seen in cities across the country, including Beijing and Shanghai. It remains. Recently placed under a complete or partial blockade. Strategies that rely on heavy testing, quarantine, and snap lockdown to prevent the virus from resurrection have destroyed economic activity.
Chinese authorities have stepped up efforts to increase immunization rates, especially among the elderly, as Omicron outbreaks continue this year.
In Beijing, residents are already required to present evidence of a negative Covid test that was done within 72 hours to enter all public places.
The city also mandates full vaccinations for people working in epidemic prevention and control, health care, public transport, delivery, and other higher-risk areas.
As of January, 98% of Beijing's more than 20 million inhabitants were fully vaccinated, including 12 million who received booster shots, according to a government statement. is included.
However, the vaccination rate for the elderly is low. As of April, 80% of Beijing residents over the age of 60 had been vaccinated, the state news agency Xinhua reported.
On Chinese social media, users quickly point out that Beijing's vaccination obligations appear to be inconsistent with national health officials' guidance that vaccination should be voluntary. Did.
"When was voluntary vaccination required?" Comments on Weibo, a platform like Twitter in China.
Last September, the National Health Commission made a mistake in restricting the movement of unvaccinated people to speed up vaccination campaigns, and such policies are timely. Said that it should be fixed.
