A resident gives a thumbs up at the waiting area of a Community Vaccination Centre set up in the Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Central Library, on Feb 23, 2021. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Bookings for coronavirus vaccinations jumped in Hong Kong as the government said it could ease social-distancing rules for inoculated people in a bid to encourage more of the population to sign up for shots.

About 13,500 people made online reservations for Pfizer Inc-BioNTech SE vaccinations at community centers and another 3,300 booked for the Sinovac Biotech Ltd shot in the 24 hours to 8 pm Monday, the government said in a statement. The bookings, which include first and second doses, were about double the number from the previous day and don’t include private clinics.

About 13,500 people made online reservations for Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccinations at community centers and another 3,300 booked for the Sinovac Biotech Ltd. shot in the 24 hours to 8 pm Monday, the government said in a statement

The increase suggests the latest attempt to incentivize people to get vaccinated is having an early impact. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said Monday that “vaccine bubbles” might be considered and restrictions on places such as restaurants and bars loosened if more people are inoculated. For now, social-distancing measures that limit restaurant dine-in hours and numbers and have shuttered bars will remain in place to April 28.

Hong Kong’s approach would expand benefits for vaccinated people while persisting with restrictions for those who haven’t been inoculated. Restaurants, for example, can set aside “clean zones” where vaccinated customers can gather in greater numbers than the maximum of four currently allowed.

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In Israel, which has led the charge in returning life to close to normal, a so-called green pass is issued to those who have completed their vaccine course or recovered from infection. The pass allows access to venues such as gyms, hotels and swimming pools. The UK has begun easing its lockdown after Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out a three-month target for fully lifting restrictions.

“I don’t think our so-called incentives plan is complicated,” Lam said at another briefing Tuesday morning, adding that strategies must be tailored to local needs.

“What we need now is to promote vaccination in Hong Kong,” she said. “The government has to come up with stronger incentives which are important, not only for promoting vaccination, but also to allow Hong Kong to go back to normality in a gradual and orderly manner.”

While pandemic hotspots like the US and UK are rapidly inoculating people, many Asia-Pacific governments are facing a hesitant public following reports of side-effects and deaths. 

Travel Bubble

Meanwhile, Lam also said that Hong Kong travelers would have to be fully vaccinated before they can use a proposed “air travel bubble” that is being negotiated with Singapore. 

“This is our suggestion to the Singaporean government, which they have no objection,” Lam said, adding that she expected to get “an early indication” as to when the travel bubble could be implemented. 

About 877,900 vaccine doses in total had been administered to the Hong Kong public as of Monday.

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They included 597,400 persons who received their first dose, with about 351,800 persons getting the Sinovac vaccine while about 245,600 persons had the BioNTech vaccine. 

About 280,500 persons had also received their second dose, with about 156,100 persons choosing the Sinovac vaccine while about 124,400 persons got BioNTech.

With Bloomberg inputs