China races to vaccinate elderly, but many are reluctant

By JOE McDONALD
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities are going door to door and paying people who are older than 60 to get vaccinated against COVID-19. But even as cases surge, 64-year-old Li Liansheng said his friends are alarmed by stories of fevers, blood clots and other side effects. Li, who had been vaccinated and later caught and recovered from COVID-19, said people “may not be willing to take the vaccines.” The government announced a campaign last month to raise the vaccination rate among older Chinese. Experts say that is crucial to avoiding a health care crisis and the biggest hurdle before the ruling Communist Party can lift the last of the world’s most stringent anti-virus restrictions.