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About 1.04 million elderly residents – those aged 60 years or above – in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, have received their COVID-19 vaccine jabs, the municipal epidemic control center announced on March 15.

According to the center, over 86.99 percent of the city's elderly residents have been vaccinated. Some 87,200 people aged 80 years or above have received at least one shot of the vaccine.

Local authorities have made special arrangements, such as setting up dedicated service windows, for people aged 70 years or above to be vaccinated. Free physical examinations and home services are also being offered to people aged 80 years or above.

An increased immunity level should not be based on immunity gained after infection, but through a higher vaccination rate, said Liang Wannian, head of the National Health Commission's COVID-19 leading task force.

For the time being, China still needs to stick with its dynamic zero-COVID approach and carry on with vaccinations and targeted epidemic control measures, Liang added.