China has started offering free shots of COVID-19 vaccines among some key groups of individuals, and will expand the range to others as more vaccines become available. Here we've provided answers to commonly asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines.

1.

Q: Is it necessary to get the COVID-19 vaccination?

A: Yes. At present, almost everyone in the country is not immune to the novel coronavirus and is susceptible to the virus. Some cases of COVID-19 infection can, and do, develop into severe or critical cases, even resulting in death.

After vaccination, the vast majority of people will become immune to the virus. Moreover, through an orderly COVID-19 vaccination process, an immune barrier will be gradually established in the population, interrupting the spread of the disease.

2.

Q: What people are in the priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination?

A: Vaccines will be given first to priority groups with a high potential risk of infection including:

Inspection and quarantine staff handling cold-chain products

Workers loading, unloading and transporting cargo at ports

People whose work is related to transportation

Health workers

Staff at border ports

Public security officers, firefighters and community workers

Workers at water, electricity, heating and gas utility companies

Those who work in logistics, elderly care, sanitation and cremation and burial industries

Those who will work or study in countries and regions with a medium- or high-risk of exposure to the virus

3.

Q: Who should delay getting vaccinated?

A: Vaccination should be postponed for the following groups of people:

Those who are younger than 18 or older than 59

People allergic to any component of the vaccine or those with severe allergies to other vaccines

People suffering from fever, acute illness, severe chronic diseases or in the acute phase of chronic diseases

Pregnant women, lactating women or women have plan to have a child within three months of vaccination

Those with a history or family history of convulsions, epilepsy, encephalopathy or psychiatric disorders; those with uncontrolled epilepsy or other progressive neurological disorders; and those with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome

Those who have been diagnosed with a congenital or acquired immune deficiency, HIV infection, lymphoma, leukemia or other autoimmune diseases

Those suffer from or are suspected to have severe respiratory diseases, severe cardiovascular diseases, liver and kidney diseases, malignant tumors

Those who use immunomodulators such as anticancer drugs

Those who have been infected with the novel coronavirus

Those considered not suitable for vaccination according to clinicians or vaccination workers

Any other individuals specified in the manual of the vaccine