Beijing plans for emergency vaccination against COVID-19 to first cover nine priority groups of people before the Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival), and the principle is to vaccinate for all those who should be vaccinated, said Gao Xiaojun, Level-I Inspector and Spokesperson for Beijing Municipal Health Commission at the press conference concerning COVID-19 prevention and control in Beijing on December 31, 2020.

The COVID-19 vaccination will not be performed for unsuitable groups including pregnant and breastfeeding women, patients in the acute phase of diseases such as fever or infection, people with immunity deficiency or disorder, people suffering from serious liver or kidney diseases, uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes complications or cancer, etc. All people to be vaccinated are required to read the Informed Consent Form carefully beforehand and may request for suspension in case of any discomfort.

The vaccination will be implemented in two steps. Nine priority groups of people will be first vaccinated before the Spring Festival while others may receive vaccination afterwards in line with the arrangements of the government and availability of approved vaccines.

The nine priority groups refer to: cold-chain inspection and quarantine customs staff at frontline ports; relevant staff for port loading and unloading, delivery and transportation; staff for international and domestic transportation; personnel working or studying overseas; border port staff exposed to higher inbound risks; medical and healthcare staff; workers for government organs, public security, armed police, fire fighting and community; workers for supply of commodities, water, electricity, heat, coal and gas; workers for transportation, logistics, elderly nursing, environmental sanitation, funeral services and communications, etc.

The vaccine receivers are limited to an age range from 18 to 59. The first vaccination for priority groups will be completed by mid-January 2021, followed by a second injection in 2-4 weeks.

(Note: Content source is from Beijing Daily.)