China races to vaccinate elderly, but many are reluctant

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities are going next door and charging people over the age of 60 to get vaccinated against COVID-19. But even the cases are increasingLi Liansheng, 64, said his friends were shocked by reports of fever, bleeding and other side effects.

“When people hear about these incidents, they may not want to get vaccinated,” said Li, who was vaccinated before contracting COVID-19. A few days after his 10-day battle with the virus, Li is suffering from a sore throat and cough. He described it as a “common cold” and a mild fever.

China has joined other countries in treating cases rather than trying to stop the spread of the virus by loosening or easing rules on testing, quarantine and movement as it tries. to reverse economic decline. But the move has flooded hospitals with feverish, suffocating patients.

The National Health Commission announced a plan on November 29 to increase vaccination rates among Chinese adults, which health experts say is very important to avoid health problems. It was also the biggest problem before the World Health Organization lifted the last of the world’s most stringent virus restrictions.

China kept case numbers down for two years with a “no-COVID” strategy that isolated major cities and confined millions of people to their homes. Now, on the way backare facing widespread outbreaks that other countries have experienced.

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The health committee recorded only six COVID-19 deaths this month, bringing the country’s total to 5,241. This is despite the fact that many of the families of the deceased relatives have spoken.

Only China counts deaths from pneumonia and respiratory failure in his COVID-19 disease, a health official said last week. That very narrow definition excludes many diseases that other countries call COVID-19.

Experts have predicted 1 to 2 million deaths in China by the end of 2023.

Li, walking on the leafy floor of Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, said he plans to get a second campaign through the campaign: “As we know the vaccine is not If there is a serious problem, we must take it.

Neighborhood committees at the lowest level of government are mandated to locate all people 65 and older and monitor their health. They are doing what government media call the “conspiracy” of asking residents to encourage older relatives to get vaccinated.

In Beijing, China’s capital, the Liulidun district promises people over 60 up to 500 yuan ($70) to get a two-dose injection course and a single promotion.

The National Health Commission announced on December 23 that the number of people being vaccinated every day has increased from two to 3.5 million across the country. But that’s just a tiny fraction of the tens of millions of shots being made every day by early 2021.

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Older people are at risk of side effects from Chinese vaccines, and the government has yet to announce the results of tests on people over 60.

Li said a 55-year-old friend developed a fever and bleeding after being stabbed. He said they weren’t sure the shot was to blame, but his friend refused to pick it up.

“The virus is said to be constantly changing,” said Li. “How do we know if vaccines are effective?”

Some don’t because they have diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions, despite warnings from experts that it’s even more urgent to get vaccinated because the risks of COVID-19 are worse than the side effects. Vaccinate almost everyone.

The 76-year-old walks around the Temple of Heaven every day with a stick he wants to pierce but has diabetes and high blood pressure. The man, who gave his surname, Fu, said he was wearing a mask and trying to avoid the crowd.

Older people are also less likely to be affected because the number of cases before the new outbreak is low and few people are likely to die. The lack of previous infections, however, left China with some people who have developed antibodies to the virus.

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“Now, the families and relatives of the elderly need to make it clear to them that an illness can cause serious illness and even death,” Jiang said. Shibo from the medical school of Fudan University in Shanghai said.

More than 90% of people in China have been vaccinated but only about two-thirds of those over 80, according to the National Health Commission. According to its 2020 census, China has 191 million people over 65 – a group that is only the eighth largest country, ahead of Bangladesh.

“The salary for people over 80 should be improved,” said Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper. “The elderly are very sick.”

Du Ming’s son arranged to stab the 100-year-old, according to his bodyguard, Li Zhuqing, who was pushing a masked Du into a pad in a wheelchair. Li accepted that approach because none of the family members were infected, which meant that the disease would be more likely to be brought home to Du if discovered.

Health officials refused reporters’ requests to visit the vaccination centers. Two who briefly entered the facilities were ordered to leave when staff discovered who they were.

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AP researcher Yu Bing and video producers Olivia Zhang and Wayne Zhang reported.

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