China should strive to achieve the "dynamic zero infection" goals considering its economy and effectiveness, officials from the National Health Commission (NHC) told a press conference on Friday.

"Striving to achieve the 'dynamic zero infection' goals in a short period of time is still the most economical and effective pandemic prevention and control strategy for China, facing the current COVID-19 situation in the country, "Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said at the press conference.

The COVID-19 epidemic is still in the development stage, and 28 Chinese provinces have been hit in the new wave of infections with over 56,000 local cases registered since March 1, said Lei Zhenglong, an NHC pandemic control official.

The pandemic situation in Jilin is still at a high level, while the situation in the Shanghai Municipality and the Hebei, Fujian, and Liaoning provinces has grown rapidly in recent days, and the risk of community transmission in the places where the pandemic occurred continues to exist,  Lei added.

About 80% of people aged 60 years and over in China complete vaccination

Currently, China has some 264 million people aged 60 years and above, of which over 212 million have completed the entire process of vaccination against the COVID-19, said Wang Huaqing, chief expert on the immunization program at the Chinese CDC.

"The incidence of adverse reactions reported in the elderly aged 60 years and over is lower than that in other age groups, according to the analysis of adverse reaction reports after vaccination," Wang noted, adding that it does not show that the elderly over 80 years old are more likely to have adverse reactions, judging from the incidence of adverse reactions monitored.

The Chinese mainland recorded 1,366 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday, with 1,301 linked to local transmissions and 65 from overseas, according to data from the NHC on Friday.

Of the new local infections, 1,110 were reported in northeast China's Jilin Province. 

A total of 3,622 new asymptomatic cases were also recorded on Thursday, and 27,046 asymptomatic patients remain under medical observation.

Confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland now total 140,651, with the death toll remaining at 4,638.

(With input from agencies)