Province strengthens its measures to control virus

By Yuan Shenggao (China Daily)

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Taiyuan residents are vaccinated in a mobile treatment station. [Photo by Ruan Yang for China Daily]

The COVID-19 pandemic is still rampant in the world and an increasing number of cases relating to the Delta variant have been reported in China. In response, Shanxi is taking active measures to control the virus and safeguard the well-being of the province's residents.

Feng Lizhong, chief of the Shanxi Contagious Disease Control and Prevention Center, said Shanxi's latest measures include effective management and control of air flights, tracking travelers, monitoring fever patients and promoting vaccination.

While a majority of the adults in Shanxi have been vaccinated, Shanxi began to expand vaccination among teenagers aged between 15 and 17 this month.

"We're aiming for 91.2 percent of the population to have COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the year," Feng said. "And all the people above 12 years old, excluding those with special health conditions, should be vaccinated."

Feng said the supply of vaccines is sufficient in every region in Shanxi. "We can assure that residents can have vaccines at any designated site and at any time."

The official said Shanxi has strengthened the whole-process management for vaccination.

"There is a strict tracking system for the sourcing, storage, transportation and distribution of vaccines to ensure quality control," Feng said. "And there is also a tracking system for vaccinated residents and their status of vaccination is shown on their health QR code."

The official said the province's emphasis on vaccination will be shifted to the seniors, teenagers and residents in the rural areas during the second half of this year.

To offer convenience to residents, a number of makeshift facilities will be used for vaccination.

For instance, vehicles are used as mobile vaccination stations and residents can stop by to be vaccinated when they spot one of the clearly labeled vehicles, according to the official.

Wang Pei contributed to this story.