[Photo/IC]

Yunnan province in Southwest China began administering COVID-19 booster shots this week, with a focus on border residents and tourism workers, local authorities said.

Nationwide, at least 12 provincial-level regions have started offering booster shots to residents, mainly targeting port and medical workers, the elderly and people planning to travel overseas.

Yunnan, which borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, has battled several local outbreaks this year triggered by imported cases.

The Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture said in a notice on Monday that residents in Hekou Yao autonomous county, Jinping Miao, Yao and Dai autonomous county and Lyuchun county will be eligible for getting an additional COVID-19 vaccine shot after being fully vaccinated for at least six months.

Officials from Lincang, a city bordering Myanmar, said on Monday that all residents age 18 and older in its three border counties could receive an extra dose from Friday.

Yunnan's Lijiang said tourism industry workers will be given booster shots in order to improve disease control and prevention levels.

The Dali Bai autonomous prefecture also launched a campaign to give booster shots on Wednesday.

Across Yunnan, there are 25 border counties in total. The province cleared its last medium or high-risk region in a border county in Ruili on Sept 15.