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Friday, February 26, 2021, 22:59
HK rolls out mass coronavirus vaccination program
By ​Wang Zhan and Chen Zimo
Friday, February 26, 2021, 22:59 By ​Wang Zhan and Chen Zimo


HONG KONG - Hong Kong's mass coronavirus vaccination program began on Friday with queues of people seen snaking around community vaccination centers.  

On Monday, with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor kicked off the city's drive by getting inoculated with Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s product.

Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, received the first jab at the vaccination station at Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay. After getting vaccinated, Tung gave a thumbs-up and said he felt "very good."

The vaccination will protect the receivers, their families and Hong Kong, he said, urging every Hong Kong resident to get the vaccine at an early date in joint efforts to defeat COVID-19.

Residents queue up to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Community Vaccination Centre at Kowloon Bay Sports Centre in Hong Kong on Feb 26, 2021. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Director of Health Constance Chan Hon-yee and a number of service heads of the Department of Health also received COVID-19 vaccinations at that center.

Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, received the first jab at the vaccination station at Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay

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Slots to receive the Sinovac shot in Hong Kong are fully booked for the next two weeks, before mainland manufacturer Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co. makes the Pfizer-BioNTech shot available in the financial center.

Slots between Feb 26 and March 11 at five community centers and 18 general out-patient clinics have been completely reserved by around 70,000 residents.

READ MORE: Booking for virus shots after March 11 to start in coming days

Online bookings for Sinovac vaccine inoculation will reopen at 9 am on Monday for Hong Kong residents seeking a slot before March 26, Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said after inspecting the vaccination center in Causeway Bay.

Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, receives the COVID-19 jab at the vaccination station at Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, Feb 26, 2021. (PHOTO/HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

Nip said the government will open three more centers for the next round of vaccination with Sinovac doses and that starting Tuesday, eligible private clinics will come on board.

The elderly and care workers are among the first group of residents to receive the vaccination Friday.

Hong Kong's Director of Health Constance Chan Hon-yee receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the Community Vaccination Centre in the Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Central Library on Feb 26, 2021. (PHOTO / INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, HKSAR GOVT)

A 78-year-old woman with the surname Wong told China Daily she was excited at getting the vaccine on the first day. Wong said she had confidence in mainland-made vaccines, adding that her daughter, who worked at a mainland hospital, strongly recommended the Sinovac vaccine to her.

Online bookings for Sinovac vaccine inoculation will reopen at 9 am on Monday for Hong Kong residents seeking a slot before March 26, Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said

Calling on more people to get vaccinated, Wong said she hoped Hong Kong would lift travel restrictions and allow residents to travel widely after the vaccination program is completed.

READ MORE: Chief secretary: Mainland-made vaccines boost HK's virus fight

A 65-year-old retired man surnamed Yeung said everything went smoothly. He was the first person to get vaccinated at the community vaccine center at Kowloon Bay Sports Centre on Friday morning. Yeung said he felt fine and doctors had given clear advice. He said all residents getting vaccinated needed to rest at the center for half an hour to avert any adverse reaction.

People wait to receive the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at a community vaccination center in Sha Tin, Hong Kong, Feb 26, 2021. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Eddie Cheung Wai-yin, a doctor assigned to the Kowloon vaccination center, said people had been very cooperative and supportive of the campaign. Fifteen registered nurses were responsible for the vaccination process there with a doctor and a senior nurse to oversee matters, Cheung said. Other 40 staff members were working in two shifts to run the campaign.

Cheung said the team could vaccinate around 2,000 people per day. 

The first batch of the BioNTech vaccine is expected to arrive in Hong Kong from Germany on Saturday morning, Nip said, promising to facilitate vaccination with BioNTech doses at the soonest.

With Xinhua inputs

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