This undated file photo shows a caregiver attending to a senior citizen at a care home in Hong Kong. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong will extend the outreach vaccination service special program for residential care homes till the end of September to further boost the COVID-19 vaccination rate, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced on Thursday.

Medical teams are invited to continue their visits to the homes at least once a week and provide outreach vaccination services to the residents with a target of not missing any residents who are ready for vaccination and getting them vaccinated as soon as possible.

Since the commencement of the special program on July 25, the third dose vaccination rate in the homes has increased from below 40 percent to over 60 percent, according to the HKSAR government.

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The HKSAR government said it will continue to provide multiple channels to facilitate vaccination by the elderly, including community vaccination centers and private clinics participating in the COVID-19 vaccination program. On Thursday, Hong Kong registered 10,342 confirmed locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 and 244 imported cases.