BEIJING: A total of 73,537 people in Beijing have received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at 220 inoculation venues in two days since the city began administering the jab among specific groups of people with higher infection risks.

No serious side effects had been observed among the vaccine receivers, Gao Xiaojun, a spokesperson for the municipal health commission, told a press briefing on Sunday.

For now, the inoculation mainly covers nine groups of people aged 18 to 59 in Beijing.

These include front line customs inspectors of imported cold chain goods and personnel working in the overseas and domestic transportation sector.

A female staffer at a vaccination point in Beijing’s Xicheng District was found waiting for recipients at 7am on Sunday.

“I’m responsible for ID verification and registration before they get the vaccine, ” said the woman whose face and hands had turned red due to the cold.

“Here we mainly serve practitioners in cold chain and catering industries. Everyone queued up in an orderly way and fully understood and supported our work, ” she added.

“Our company informed us of nine possible contraindications to receive the vaccine.

“Since I have none of them, I came without hesitation, ” said Xie Fei, who works at a Walmart store in the district.

“The injection was administered in minutes and I have been observed for half an hour. I don’t have any discomfort, ” said Xie, who came with about 30 colleagues.

“I am often exposed to imported cold chain food at work, and the Covid-19 vaccination not only protects me but also the customers.”

Zheng Ying, head of a health service centre in Guangwai Community, Xicheng District, told reporters that the centre can handle up to 1,200 recipients a day.

“All the vaccination venues have been set up in idle factories, gymnasiums and other similar places to help prevent and control the spread of the virus, ” said Niu Xiangjun, deputy director of the health commission in Beijing’s Daxing District.

According to Niu, a total of 17 temporary vaccination sites have been set up so far in Daxing District, covering about 100,000 people with higher infection risks.

Of these, about one-fifth do work related to the newly built Beijing Daxing International Airport.

 - ANN