Border prefecture in Yunnan rolls out large-scale inoculation campaign

Large-scale vaccinations for COVID-19 were initiated on Thursday in five counties and cities in Yunnan's Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, which borders Myanmar, in a bid to build an immunity barrier, the local disease control and prevention center said.

Ruili, a city in the prefecture, recorded six new COVID-19 cases and 23 asymptomatic carriers on Wednesday, data from the center showed on Thursday. It recorded six confirmed cases and three asymptomatic ones on Tuesday.

As of Thursday morning, 1,320 people who had been in close contact with infected people had been quarantined for observation.

"Pressure to control imported cases keeps increasing. To get vaccinated is the most scientific, economical and effective way to control and prevent the epidemic," a notice released by the center said.

At a meeting in Ruili on Wednesday on dealing with the epidemic, Ruan Chengfa, Party chief of Yunnan province, urged the rolling out of vaccinations to build an immunity barrier as soon as possible.

Sixty-five stations have been set up for the vaccination work and enough COVID-19 vaccines are in place, according to the center.

Residents in four counties, including Mangshi, the prefecture's capital, will be vaccinated first, and then residents in Ruili, who will get jabs after their home quarantine finishes, the prefecture government said.

"Only by getting vaccinated, can one get better protection," renowned respiratory scientist Zhong Nanshan said in a recent video interview.

Although the number of Chinese who have been vaccinated ranks second in the world, the percentage is low given the huge size of the population, Zhong said.

Mass vaccination shall be conducted as early as possible in border areas and places with high risks, Shao Yiming, chief expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview with China Central Television on Wednesday night.

Li Yue, 25, a teacher who lives in Ruili, is staying at home for quarantine after all schools in its urban areas suspended classes on Wednesday. Students will continue their studies via online platforms.

"I will go to get a vaccine after the quarantine to get protection," Li said."After all, we live in the border area, which features a high risk of being infected."

Ruili resident Yang Ensheng, 29, received his first dose of vaccine on Dec 29. A worker at Wanting Port, he said "half of my colleagues have received jabs and we have taken comprehensive measures to prevent risks."

To contain the new wave of COVID-19 cases, Ruili has launched measures since Tuesday, including citywide nucleic acid testing, a one-week home quarantine, and traffic curbs.

It completed the collection of samples for nucleic acid testing across the city on Thursday.

A total of 309,448 samples had been collected in the 24 hours to 8 am Thursday, with results announced for over 100,000, a news conference on Thursday was told.

Following the shutting down of schools in Ruili, a team of 20 was assembled to offer psychological counseling to teachers, students and parents. Campuses are being disinfected and sterilized, said Chen Jun, head of Ruili's education and sport bureau.