China’s Low Elderly Vaccination Rate Shows Key Vulnerability
- Only 51% of Chinese aged over 80 have had two Covid-19 shots
- Shows why Beijing reluctant to abandon zero-tolerance approach
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Only half of Chinese aged 80 and older are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, highlighting a key vulnerability as the country grapples with its worst outbreak since Wuhan and the prospect of reopening to the world.
About 51% of over 80-year-olds have received two shots and some 20% have gotten boosters, health officials told reporters at a briefing in Beijing Friday. While 87.9% of China’s 1.4 billion people have been vaccinated with two shots -- a high percentage globally -- the numbers decline with age, with the figure dropping to 82% for those between 70 and 79.