Zhang Yu JeniZhang13@163.com SHENZHEN has expanded the eligibility of free COVID-19 vaccines to all Chinese citizens aged 18 to 59 on the mainland, the city’s health commission said Saturday. Eligible citizens can receive the COVID-19 vaccines free of charge at 453 medical institutions, which are mainly community health centers, across the city. An appointment is needed before the vaccination. Both online and on-site appointments for personal inoculation are available in most districts and in Dapeng New Area. The most convenient way for an appointment is that citizens make an online appointment on WeChat miniprogram “Shekangtong” (社康通), which is acceptable by almost all vaccination sites in various districts and Dapeng New Area. To receive the COVID-19 vaccines in Luohu District, citizens need to make an appointment on the WeChat account of Luohu District People’s Hospital (szluohuhospital) or on site. The vaccination is currently not accessible to foreigners and residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. The next steps in the city’s COVID-19 inoculation efforts include opening up vaccination to anyone who is 60 years and older, the commission said. At present, China has approved the emergency use of five types of vaccines against COVID-19, including three inactivated vaccines, an adenoviral vector vaccine and a recombinant protein vaccine. The vaccine Shenzhen uses is inactivated ones, which require two doses with an interval between 14 and 28 days.
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