Advertisement
Coronavirus pandemic
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Coronavirus: Hong Kong ramps up Covid-19 jabs drive with walk-in slots open to all

  • From Wednesday, same-day tickets will be given on first come, first served basis at 21 of city’s community vaccination centres
  • Elderly still reluctant to get inoculated, with only 13.6 per cent of those aged 80 and over having had at least one shot

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
40
People queue to get the BioNTech vaccine at Choi Hung Road Badminton Centre. Photo: Edmond So
Elizabeth Cheung
All Hongkongers will be able to get a Covid-19 vaccine at most community inoculation centres without booking from Wednesday, a move designed to encourage more people to get the jabs.

The measure was announced on Monday as the city confirmed five new Covid-19 cases, all of which were imported and involved two arrivals from the United States, and one each from Myanmar, the Philippines and Kenya. Fewer than five people tested preliminary-positive.

The city’s total number of confirmed cases rose to 12,165, with 213 related deaths.

The change means prior booking will not be needed at 21 of the city’s community vaccination centres for residents aged 12 or over seeking a BioNTech shot, or those aged at least 18 planning to get the Sinovac vaccine.

“After evaluating the actual situation, we have decided to extend the arrangement to cover all eligible persons for receiving vaccinations to further enable members of the public to get vaccinated,” a government spokesman said.

However, the arrangement is not available at the five community vaccination centres operated by private hospitals.

Advertisement