China to vaccinate 22 million before Spring Festival

China has given over 22 million COVID-19 vaccine shots to date as it carries out a drive ahead of next month's Lunar New Year holiday, health authorities said Wednesday.

The effort, which began six weeks ago, targets key groups such as medical and transport workers and has accelerated China's vaccination program.

About 1.6 million doses had been given over several months before the recent campaign began.

"The carrying out of vaccinations has been ongoing in a steady and orderly manner," Zeng Yixin, vice chairman of the National Health Commission said at a news conference.

He said that 22.76 million doses had been administered as of Tuesday.

It's not clear how many people that represents since the vaccine is given in two doses, and some may have received their second shot.

China, which largely stopped the spread of the virus last spring, has seen fresh outbreaks this winter in four northern provinces.

About 1,800 new cases have been reported since mid-December, including two deaths.

Authorities are strongly discouraging people from travelling during the Lunar New Year holiday, a time when Chinese traditionally return to their hometowns for family gatherings.

But local governments are not allowed to block people from travelling.

"They're not allowed to obstruct people's travel and returning home and should give people more guarantees and convenience," said Zhao Chenxin, a spokesperson for China's National Development and Reform Commission, at the news conference.

Zhao added that reduced travel would have some economic impact on the tourism and transport industries, but that controlling the virus will help the economic recovery.

Chinese airlines are offering refunded tickets as the coronavirus continues to spread in the country’s northeast.