China administers over 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses a day
What's the story
China raced to vaccinate its most vulnerable citizens on Thursday, expecting another spike in COVID-19 infections as many analysts predicted an increase in the death toll after the recent ease of strict restrictions that kept the novel virus' outspread at bay for almost three years.
Last week, Beijing started disassembling its "zero-COVID" rules, dropping testing necessities and easing quarantine laws.
Context
Why does this story matter?
China reported 2,000 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, compared to Tuesday's tally of 2,291 cases.
Meanwhile, vaccinations against the virus have recently ramped up in China.
The latest data confirms that the country administered a total of 1.43 million shots until Tuesday.
This number is significantly above rates in November of approximately 100,000 to 200,000 jabs per day, reported the news agency Reuters.
Numbers
1.4 billion people in China not adequately vaccinated
The push from the Xi Jinping-led government comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) raised concerns over 1.4 billion people in China not being adequately vaccinated.
Mike Ryan, the emergencies director of WHO, claimed that China was experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country well before the government decided to ease its stringent restrictions.
Quotes
The disease is spreading intensively: Ryan
During a briefing in Geneva, Ryan stated: "There's a narrative at the moment that China lifted the restrictions and all of a sudden, the disease is out of control."
"The disease was spreading intensively because I believe the control measures in themselves were not stopping the disease. And I believe China decided strategically that was not the best option anymore."
Report
China's 90% population vaccinated: NHC
China's National Health Commission (NHC) revealed that 90% of its population was vaccinated, and 86% of its citizens over 60 were vaccinated. The health body also said that 40% had received a booster jab.
However, just 66% of those above 80 have gotten their first jab.
The government plans to send mobile vaccination teams for those in their 70s-80s who can't leave their houses.
Here's how
China may report 1 million COVID deaths: Study
As per a study titled "Modelling the adjustment of COVID-19 response and exit from dynamic zero-COVID in China" by Hong Kong researchers, China is set to report nearly 1 million (10 lakh) deaths due to COVID-19.
The study also states that the "surge of disease burden posed by reopening in December 2022-January 2023 would likely overload many local health systems across the country."
In depth
More about the study
According to the study co-authored by the University of Hong Kong's medicine ex-dean Gabriel Leung, nearly 684 individuals per million would die without a mass vaccination booster drive and other key efforts to reduce the impact of the novel virus.
Based on Bloomberg's estimates, this might cause nearly 964,400 deaths in the country, which has a population of 1.41 billion.