China kicked off its swine flu vaccination programme Monday in Beijing by immunising students due to take part in next week's National Day celebrations, city health authorities announced.
The Asian giant has been at the forefront of international efforts to produce an A(H1N1) influenza vaccine, with at least five companies receiving government approval, but officials have warned demand will exceed supply.
The health ministry has said it plans to vaccinate 65 million people, or five percent of the country's total population of 1.3 billion, before year's end.
"On September 21, Beijing took the lead in China in starting A(H1N1) flu vaccinations," the capital's municipal health bureau said in a statement on its website.
A total of 500 medical workers divided into nearly 50 teams have been mobilised to go to schools across the city to give the students their shots, which are free and voluntary, the bureau reported.
Apart from students taking part in festivities marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of communist China on October 1, medical workers, border inspection and transportation workers will have priority for vaccinations.
The military and police, other kindergarten, elementary and middle school students and teachers, and those with chronic heart and lung diseases will also be given priority, according to the health ministry.
Shipments of vaccine have so far been distributed to eight provinces including Guangdong, Shandong, Sichuan and Hunan, where outbreaks have been the most severe, state media has reported.
By Friday, China had recorded 11,722 cases of A(H1N1) flu, according to the latest information released on the health ministry's website. No deaths have yet been reported.