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Coronavirus: Hong Kong’s vaccine scheme for frontline workers could expand to other civil servants, teachers, city leader says
- The current programme could also be changed so that city employees have to pay for their own regular testing should they decline to be jabbed
- Hong Kong confirms no new infections for second time this week, while authorities ban Lufthansa from flying Frankfurt route for two weeks over violations
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The number of Hong Kong civil servants required to get coronavirus jabs or undergo regular testing is set to increase as the government looks to boost its lagging vaccination rates, with teachers potentially next in line.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Thursday told lawmakers that the government was working towards extending mandatory vaccination to cover more of the 170,000-strong civil service, buoyed by the policy achieving high levels of inoculation among 64,000 of Hong Kong’s frontline officers.
“We are planning to expand this scheme and put more city employees under it,” she told a Legislative Council question and answer session.
Hong Kong on Thursday confirmed zero new Covid-19 cases, the second day this week with no infections recorded. The city’s official tally stood at 11,955, with 212 related deaths.
On vaccination for civil servants, Lam said those refusing vaccination were required to be tested regularly for the coronavirus, free of charge.
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