Beijing has started administering key groups with COVID vaccines targeting the XBB subvariants of Omicron, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control said on Monday.

People aged 60 and above, or between 18 and 59 years but with serious underlying diseases, low immune function, or high risk of infection, are eligible to receive XBB vaccines at this stage if they have been infected with COVID-19 or received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The COVID-19 Omicron XBB subvariants have developed into one of the dominant subvariants in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Therefore, vaccines containing the antibody of the XBB subvariants are recommended for better effect, the center said.