China will expand the target population for COVID-19 vaccination to include elderly people aged over 60 years old, a health official said Wednesday.

A medical worker inoculates a recipient with a COVID-19 vaccine at a temporary inoculation site in Haidian District in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

The expansion is due to increasing data from clinical research on vaccines, a growing supply of vaccines, and the need to better control the outbreak, said Wang Bin, an official with the National Health Commission, at a press conference.

"The current vaccination campaign covers people aged 18 to 59 who are at a higher risk of infection and transmission," Wang said.

At present, the key groups receiving vaccines include people engaged in the handling of imported cold-chain products, customs officers, medical workers, and those working in public transport, the official added.