BEIJING, July 23,2021 (BSS/Xinhua) - More than 1.5 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in China as of Thursday, the National Health Commission announced on Friday.

China accelerated its pace of free COVID-19 vaccinations for the whole nation in late March. By June 19, China had administered in excess of 1 billion doses, and by July 13, the number surpassed 1.4 billion.

By July 8, a total of 22 COVID-19 vaccines have entered clinical trials in China. Four vaccines have been granted conditional marketing approval and three have been authorized for emergency use within the country.

China's mass vaccination campaign currently mainly targets adults aged over 18. By mid-July, a number of provinces, regions and municipalities have announced they will phase in COVID-19 vaccination for minors aged between 12 and 17.