Beijing’s municipal health authorities have barred those with a history of serious vaccine allergies and some elderly citizens from receiving the country’s homegrown COVID-19 vaccines.

The decision by the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control on Sunday came as six people — five of them aged above 60 — in Hong Kong had died days after receiving jabs manufactured by Chinese drugmaker Sinovac.

Those with a history of developing acute allergic reactions, breathing difficulties and swelling of the skin’s deeper layers could not receive COVID-19 vaccines in Beijing, according to the center. Eldery people with malignant tumors were also not allowed to take the shots.

Beijing health officials urged residents to take doctors’ advice when deciding whether to get vaccinated.

Earlier, the National Health Commission under the State Council launched a vaccination program for people above the age of 60 and with good health records.

Workers in a government-run clinic in Beijing’s Chaoyang District had set up a dedicated area to ask elderly people about their medical history and conduct tests to decide whether they were suitable for vaccination, according to mainland Chinese news reports.

Some elderly people were denied jabs after failing on-site blood pressure tests, the reports said.

In Hong Kong, there have been growing concerns about the safety of the Sinovac vaccine after six of its recipients died over the past two weeks. Unlike Beijing, Hong Kong has not implemented a protocol to restrict elderly people or chronically ill patients from vaccination.

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