Covid vaccines are safe, since leaders are vaccinated. This is what the National Health Commission in China reveals this Saturday, two years after the launch of the vaccination campaign. Statements that aim to reassure some of the seniors, worried about the bite.
With our correspondent in Beijing, Stephane Lagarde
There are loudspeakers inviting people to present the “Jiankangbao”, Beijing’s health code and health pass when the trains arrive, but also – and this is new – signs have appeared in recent days in the west railway station of the chinese capital. Signs with the words in red characters on a white background: “A surprise awaits you! Obviously, this attracts the barge. 100 yuan, nearly 15 euros reward, against a dose of vaccine, suggests the carriers of “surprise”, pointing to a stand for injections a little further.
Encourage older people to get vaccinated
In recent weeks, the vaccination campaign has resumed discreetly. She is louder this Saturday with the reveal of Zheng Yixin. ” State and party leaders have all been vaccinated against Covid-19 with locally made vaccines “said the deputy head of the National Health Commission. Accuracy is important knowing that Chinese inactivated vaccines have sometimes seen their effectiveness questioneddespite the manufacturer denials.
The lack of transparency has added to the confusion and fueled “gossip” on social media. ” Covid vaccines do not cause leukemia or diabetes, or affect genetic development, or cause metastases (…), and this is irresponsible and false information on the internet said Wang Fusheng, an infectious disease expert at a military-affiliated hospital, quoted by Reuters.
61% of those over 60 received the first two doses
In people over 60, a complete primary vaccination regimen with Chinese vaccines reduces the risk of progressing to a serious disease by 89%, while a booster dose reduces the risk by 95%, adds an official. preventive medicine association, also quoted by Reuters. Another clarification, in the party state in China, the “leaders” are often the age of the target audience. An incentive for the most hesitant who can say to themselves that “if the vaccine works for the president, or the Prime Minister, why not for me! “.
In any case, this is what the health commission hopes to hear from seniors. Because if 89.7% of the 1.41 billion Chinese are vaccinated today (56% for the booster), only 61% of those over 60 have received the first two doses.