Coronavirus: Hong Kong government advisers recommend elderly get fourth shot of Covid-19 vaccine, city confirms 2,644 new infections
- Expert panel finds three doses ‘very effective in preventing hospitalisation and death’, but residents aged 60 and above should receive a fourth for better protection
- The experts also say they have ‘no objection’ to a proposal to allow recipients of other vaccines – such as ones for seasonal flu – to get Covid-19 jabs on the same visit
Government medical advisers have recommended that Hongkongers aged 60 and above get a fourth shot of Covid-19 vaccine, given that most of the coronavirus-related deaths recorded in the city’s fifth wave of infections involved the elderly.
The joint scientific committee of the Department of Health published its recommendations on Thursday, saying the fourth dose should be given at least three months after the third shot for better protection.
It also made clear residents in other age groups need not receive a second booster as prevailing medical evidence showed one was enough to prevent severe illnesses.
“Three doses of the vaccination in other age groups are very effective in preventing hospitalisation and death,” said Dr Albert Au Ka-wing, of the Centre for Health Protection, adding that authorities would continue to monitor the scientific developments on whether additional doses were needed for other age groups.
The committee also said it had “no objection” to authorities’ proposal to allow recipients of other vaccines – such as ones for seasonal flu – to be administered Covid-19 jabs on the same visit, as long as they gave informed consent, paving the way for boosting uptake especially in residential care homes.