This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/63798484
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| China Covid: Why is it struggling to vaccinate the elderly? | |
| (3 days later) | |
| China says it plans to ramp up Covid-19 vaccinations among its elderly population. | |
| The move follows widespread anti-lockdown protests and the abandonment of its controversial zero-Covid policy. | |
| The relatively low vaccination rate for older people in China has been a major obstacle in relaxing the country's strict controls on the spread of the virus. | |
| How many older people are vaccinated? | How many older people are vaccinated? |
| In April this year, official data showed that only about 20% of over-80s had received two jabs plus a booster, while under 50% of the 70-79 age group fell into this category. | In April this year, official data showed that only about 20% of over-80s had received two jabs plus a booster, while under 50% of the 70-79 age group fell into this category. |
| China is now stressing the need to accelerate these vaccinations among the elderly, who are more likely to get seriously ill or die from the virus compared with younger age groups. | |
| "All localities should....focus on improving the vaccination rate of people aged 60-79, accelerating the vaccination rate of people aged 80 and above," the country's National Health Commission has said. | |
| The latest figures from the Chinese authorities, released as lockdown protests erupted across the country at the start of December, suggest there's already been marked jump in these over-80s vaccination rates to about 40% fully vaccinated with a booster. | |
| However, these Chinese vaccination rates for the elderly are significantly lower than, for example, those in the US and UK. | |
| Figures from the UK in November indicate that about 80% of people aged 80 or above (living in England) had received a booster jab in the previous three months. | Figures from the UK in November indicate that about 80% of people aged 80 or above (living in England) had received a booster jab in the previous three months. |
| China is now reported to have set a goal of getting 90% of the over-80s to either complete the initial two-dose vaccination course or get a booster jab by the end of January. | |
| Why have more older people not been vaccinated? | |
| The head of China's Covid expert panel, Prof Liang Wannian, has told the BBC that vaccine hesitancy among the elderly is one issue. | The head of China's Covid expert panel, Prof Liang Wannian, has told the BBC that vaccine hesitancy among the elderly is one issue. |
| "Many old people have underlying diseases. They reckon it won't be safe to get vaccinated. But in fact, it is safe." he said. | "Many old people have underlying diseases. They reckon it won't be safe to get vaccinated. But in fact, it is safe." he said. |
| Unlike in other countries which targeted the elderly first, China prioritised the working-age population when it started its vaccine rollout at the end of 2020. | Unlike in other countries which targeted the elderly first, China prioritised the working-age population when it started its vaccine rollout at the end of 2020. |
| Lockdown in Beijing: Restrictions have become increasingly unpopular | Lockdown in Beijing: Restrictions have become increasingly unpopular |
| It also tested its vaccines outside China in countries with much younger populations - and initially told its own elderly population there was not enough data on the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines to recommend they receive them. | It also tested its vaccines outside China in countries with much younger populations - and initially told its own elderly population there was not enough data on the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines to recommend they receive them. |
| Community health infrastructure is also vital to vaccine rollouts, says Prof George Liu, of La Trobe University in Melbourne. He says this is lacking for the elderly in China. | Community health infrastructure is also vital to vaccine rollouts, says Prof George Liu, of La Trobe University in Melbourne. He says this is lacking for the elderly in China. |
| "Unlike planned immunisation for children, community health facilities don't have a full name list and schedules for the elderly, and they don't have an existing process to ensure proper vaccination coverage for them." | "Unlike planned immunisation for children, community health facilities don't have a full name list and schedules for the elderly, and they don't have an existing process to ensure proper vaccination coverage for them." |
| Faith in locally-made vaccines has also been dented by a series of health scandals in recent years. These include safety issues and production standards for rabies jabs, as well as for diphtheria and tetanus. | Faith in locally-made vaccines has also been dented by a series of health scandals in recent years. These include safety issues and production standards for rabies jabs, as well as for diphtheria and tetanus. |
| Are Chinese-made vaccines effective? | Are Chinese-made vaccines effective? |
| China has developed and produced its own vaccines, which use an inactivated form of the virus to train the body to fight the whole virus. | China has developed and produced its own vaccines, which use an inactivated form of the virus to train the body to fight the whole virus. |
| While effective, these are not quite as good as the mRNA vaccines used elsewhere in the world, which home in on the key part of the virus which infects the body's cells. | While effective, these are not quite as good as the mRNA vaccines used elsewhere in the world, which home in on the key part of the virus which infects the body's cells. |
| Research suggests that two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine would give 90% protection against serious illness or death, but it is 70% for two doses of Sinovac, one of the most widely-used Chinese vaccines. | Research suggests that two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine would give 90% protection against serious illness or death, but it is 70% for two doses of Sinovac, one of the most widely-used Chinese vaccines. |
| And long periods of lockdown in China have meant that there has been far less mixing of people. | And long periods of lockdown in China have meant that there has been far less mixing of people. |
| This has meant that even for those who have been vaccinated, there has been less exposure to the virus, and so less benefit from "hybrid immunity" - that is protection through a combination of vaccination and coming into contact with the virus itself. | This has meant that even for those who have been vaccinated, there has been less exposure to the virus, and so less benefit from "hybrid immunity" - that is protection through a combination of vaccination and coming into contact with the virus itself. |
| "It's this wall of protection built up... through natural exposure and effective vaccines, that have made Covid something most of the rest of the world is now willing to live with," says BBC Health and Disinformation reporter Rachel Schraer. | "It's this wall of protection built up... through natural exposure and effective vaccines, that have made Covid something most of the rest of the world is now willing to live with," says BBC Health and Disinformation reporter Rachel Schraer. |
| Add to that the fact that new variants of Omicron have emerged, which spread even among the vaccinated, and it makes the prospect of eliminating the virus even more unlikely. | Add to that the fact that new variants of Omicron have emerged, which spread even among the vaccinated, and it makes the prospect of eliminating the virus even more unlikely. |
| A vaccine production plant in Shanghai | A vaccine production plant in Shanghai |
| Why has China not used Western vaccines? | Why has China not used Western vaccines? |
| In the early stages of vaccine rollout during the pandemic, China made great play about its own production efforts. | In the early stages of vaccine rollout during the pandemic, China made great play about its own production efforts. |
| Last year, it claimed to have made half of the world's existing stock of Covid vaccines. | Last year, it claimed to have made half of the world's existing stock of Covid vaccines. |
| So it is not surprising that it has been reluctant to use vaccines developed elsewhere. | So it is not surprising that it has been reluctant to use vaccines developed elsewhere. |
| Germany has urged China to consider using Western-developed mRNA vaccines. These are currently difficult to obtain in China, and only made available to foreign residents. | Germany has urged China to consider using Western-developed mRNA vaccines. These are currently difficult to obtain in China, and only made available to foreign residents. |
| China is believed to be developing its own vaccine using mRNA vaccine technology, but it is not clear when this might be available. | China is believed to be developing its own vaccine using mRNA vaccine technology, but it is not clear when this might be available. |
| Additional reporting by Wanyuan Song | Additional reporting by Wanyuan Song |