COVID-19 vaccination program in the mainland of China: a subnational descriptive analysis on target population size and current progress

Background:China is facing substantial risks of imported coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)cases and a domestic resurgence in the long run,and COVID-19 vaccination is expected to be the long-lasting solution to end the pandemic.We aim to estimate the size of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination at the provincial level in the mainland of China,and summarize the current progress of vaccination programs,which could support local governments in the timely determination and adjustment of vaccination policies and promotional measures.Methods:We conducted a descriptive study of the entire population in the mainland of China,between December 2020 and August 2021.By extracting provincial-stratifed data from publicly available sources,we estimated the size of priority target groups for vaccination programs,and further characterized the ongoing vaccination program at the provincial level,including the total doses administered,the coverage rate,and the vaccination capacity needed to achieve the target coverage of 80%by the end of 2021.We used R(version 4.1.0)to complete the descriptive statistics.Results:The size of the target population shows large diferences among provinces,ranging from 3.4 million to 108.4 million.As of 31 August,2021,the speed of vaccine roll-out difers considerably as well,with the highest coverage occurring in Beijing and Shanghai,where 88.5%and 79.1%of the population has been fully vaccinated,respectively.In 22 of 31 provincial-level administrative divisions(PLADs),more than 70%of the population was administered at least one dose by August.With the current vaccination capacity,the target of 80%coverage could be achieved by 2021 in 28 PLADs.Conclusions:Disparities exist in the target population size and vaccination progress across provinces in the mainland of China.China has made great strides in the vaccination speed since roll-out,and could basically achieve the targeted vaccine coverage.

The Impacts of the Universal Two-Child Policy on China's Population

The universal two-child policy,implemented in October,2015,is considered to be the most significant adjustment in the history of China's family planning program.Using data from the 2014 national population sampling survey,this paper employs a population group-component calculation and projection method to compute the number of target population in 2016 and then to estimate the number of extra births that are likely to result from implementation of the universal two-child policy.The results show that the total number of extra births is estimated to be approximately 17.2 million in the years 2017-2021,with the number of extra births per year ranging from approximately 1.6 to 4.7 million.This will lead to a dramatic shift in China's TFR from an estimated 1.6 in 2016 to one approaching the replacement level,and then dropping to a projected 1.7.With the universal two-child policy in place,China's total population will grow to about 1.45 billion around 2028 and then gradually begin shrioking.The labor force will become larger under the universal two-child policy than it would if the stricter birth control policy were maintained,with an estimated 50 million additional people aged 15-59 in 2050.With implementation of China's new fertility policy,an estimated 34%of the population will be over 60 years of age in 2050,almost three percentage points lower than the level if the former fertility policy were continued.

The Applications of Genome Editing in Xenotransplantation

Higher living standards and better medical care are increasing the lifespan of people around the world.Aging populations,however,have an increased incidence of loss of function or failure of cell,tissue or organ.This has led to the development of new medical disciplines,such as organ transplantation and more recently regenerative medicine.

Improving the Conversion Success Rate of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Focus on the Use of Combination Therapy with a High Objective Response Rate

The high mortality rate in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is partially due to the fact that a significant number of patients are diagnosed at an intermediate or advanced stage,with surgical treatment options unavailable.Conversion therapy,which involves both locoregional and systemic treatments,has the potential to downstage tumors in selected patients with initially unresectable HCC,thereby making surgical treatment a possibility and potentially increasing long-term survival.To optimize the conversion rate,it is necessary to maximize successful conversions and clearly define the target population for conversion treatment through a collaborative effort.In this review article,we summarize the clinical experience and evidence for conversion therapy in patients with‘potentially resectable’HCC from four perspectives:1)defining the target population for conversion therapy,2)selecting the appropriate conversion strategy,placing emphasis on the utilization of combination therapy that exhibits a significant objective response rate,3)determining the timing and urgency of surgical resection,4)promoting the adoption of a multidisciplinary team model.The authors are optimistic that with the continuous progress in treatment and a deeper understanding of HCC,the success rate of HCC conversion therapy will increase,and the overall survival of HCC patients will be prolonged.