Hong Kong to expand booster programme in January

閱讀中文版本

Hong Kong expands booster programme to cover all Hong Kongers while plans to reopen the the border continue despite two Omicron cases in the mainland.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday that the SAR would expand its Covid-19 vaccination programme to cover everyone who had received the Biontech vaccine from January.

"I ordered yesterday, the Food and Health Bureau to start vaccinating all Hong Kongers with the third dose, Biontech inclusive," she said speaking to reporters. And would no longer be restricted those classified as high-risk.

At the moment the government's booster programme only extends to people who had their second dose of the Sinovac vaccine at least six months ago and people deemed to be in a priority group.

"As long as people have received the first and second doses for some time, they will be able to take the third Biontech jab," she added.

ALSO READ: Hong Kong designates over 50 countries as high-risk, including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, owing to Omicron

Meanwhile the CE confirmed plans to open the border with the mainland are still on track despite a second recorded omircon case in the mainland this week.

"At this moment, I do not see any change to what we are doing in terms of resumption of normal travel into the Mainland as a result of Omicron," she told reporters at the same press conference. "But because this variant and the whole situation could be changing very rapidly, I could provide no absolute guarantee"

She added that discussions with mainland officials are still ongoing.

Last week Hong Kong launched it's Health code to facilitate quarantine travel between Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China.

ALSO READ: LeaveHomeSafe mobile app mandatory at all restaurants starting December 9

Image / 123rf

Follow us on Telegram and on Instagram @humanresourcesonline for all the latest HR and manpower news from around the region!