Bloomberg "China's Zero-COVID Exit Depends on the Elderly"

More than 40 million elderly in China have never received a single vaccine dose
"From the vaccine research stage, the elderly were not considered... missed opportunities for 2 years"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] As China’s zero-COVID policy continues to impact the global economy, experts say that when and how China will exit this policy depends largely on the elderly population in the country. This is because over 40 million people aged 60 and above, who are vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus, have never received a single vaccine dose.

On the 16th (local time), Bloomberg News cited recent data from China’s National Health Commission, reporting that about 216 million Chinese aged 60 and above have been vaccinated against COVID-19. This corresponds to 82% of the population in that age group (approximately 260 million). Those who have completed the second dose number around 164 million.

As a result, approximately 44 million elderly people aged 60 and above have yet to receive even one vaccine dose. The vaccination rate decreases with age; as of March, the vaccination rate among those aged 80 and above was only around 50%, the news agency reported.

The news agency also noted that it is very unusual that China is highly reluctant to mandate vaccination for the population most vulnerable to COVID-19 (the elderly). It explained, "This contrasts with the strict enforcement of large-scale lockdowns and nucleic acid testing by the authorities." Regarding this, Professor Feng Wang of the University of California’s Sociology Department said, "China missed the opportunity over the past two years. While most other countries prioritized vaccinating the elderly, China focused its efforts on vaccinating the younger population first."

There are also claims that this gap stems from the vaccine development process. The only domestically developed vaccine available in China did not sufficiently consider the elderly during clinical trials. Professor Wang stated, "Because side effects or risks for elderly people with complex health conditions were relatively unknown, there were concerns about potential risks," adding, "Some doctors even advised against vaccinating elderly patients with underlying conditions."

Meanwhile, earlier researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai released a study suggesting that if China withdraws its zero-COVID policy without adequate distribution of treatments, the Omicron variant could cause about 1.6 million deaths between May and July. However, the researchers noted that if the vaccination rate among the elderly reaches around 97% and antiviral drugs treat more than half of confirmed cases, the death toll could be reduced to the level of seasonal flu.