The Beijing Disease Prevention and Control Center has ordered the first batch of A/H1N1 vaccines from domestic producer Beijing Sinovac Biotech. The doses will be enough to immunize 5-million people, the center's head, Deng Ying, said at a press conference Friday.

"It will first be offered free to priority target groups such as children and the elderly, and people who work in public sectors such as transportation and railway departments."

The vaccine is expected to hit the market this August. Two doses of the vaccine will be available for people in the target group between August and November, as 28 days' interval needed between each dose. In addition, a vaccine for seasonal flu will also be offered free to elderly people and children.

Beijing has also earmarked more than 550 million yuan for medicine and vaccine storage, including the anti-viral drug Tamiflu.