Guangzhou vaccine rollout to restart in July

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout will resume in July in Guangzhou, Guangdong province to increase the coverage of residents, according to the local center for disease control and prevention.

In a news briefing on Tuesday, Zhang Zhoubin, deputy director of the Guangzhou disease control and prevention center, said the first new doses of vaccine would not be used before June 30.

The city suspended its previous vaccination effort at the end of May as it increased nucleic acid testing on a large scale. The first coronavirus case in the latest outbreak was confirmed on May 21. The city resumed the administration of second doses of vaccine on Sunday, Zhang said.

"Key groups of people taking part in the control and prevention of the coronavirus outbreak will be given priority for the second dose of vaccine," Zhang said.

Guangzhou reported one locally transmitted COVID-19 case on Monday. It was found in an isolation facility.

The city has reported 147 locally transmitted cases since May 21, including 140 confirmed cases and seven asymptomatic carriers, according to the local health commission.

Eleven subdistricts in the city, which had been closed off for weeks to contain the spread of the virus, began opening up again on Monday.

However, two places in the city's Huangpu district were added to the list of those blocked on Monday, according to the local district government.

"We are now in a critical moment in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," said Chen Bin, deputy director of the health commission.

Chen called on local residents to avoid mass gatherings and travel outside the city, and to continue wearing masks in public places.