BEIJING — China has maintained a vaccination rate of above 90 percent for vaccines under the national immunization program, according to a health official on April 21.

Currently, there are 15 vaccines provided for children for free in China, and the country has also been expanding the variety of vaccines under its immunization program, said Wang Bin, an official with the National Health Commission, at a press conference in Beijing.

Noting that people now have a deeper understanding of vaccines' function, Wang stressed that vaccination is the most effective and economical way of preventing infectious diseases.

Over the years, China has eliminated poliomyelitis and significantly reduced the incidence of hepatitis B with great efforts made on immunization work, said Wang, adding the incidence of measles in China dropped to a record low in 2019.

Since March this year, vaccination work across the country has been required to resume in an orderly manner amid epidemic prevention and control efforts, Wang said.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention also formulated plans for vaccine replanting and follow-up inoculation in response to the suspension of vaccination work out of the need for epidemic prevention and control, and these plans have been implemented throughout the country, she said.

All vaccination clinics in Hubei province, the Central China region hardest hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, have resumed work, said Wang.

In addition, all vaccination sites are required to conduct disinfection and ventilation and maintain environmental sanitation to avoid infection, she added.