A staff member helps a citizen receive COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Hong Kong, south China, April 6, 2022. (LO PING FAI / XINHUA)

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Thursday urged members of the public not to bribe or deceive doctors to get exempted from the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

In a statement, the government also said that those who obtained exemption certificates from doctors suspected of abusing their powers of issuance could get assistance from general out-patient clinics, except those designated for confirmed cases, under the Health Authority.

"Apart from arranging consultations with other private doctors by themselves, relevant members of the public may also choose to visit any general out-patient clinics under the Hospital Authority where public sector doctors can ascertain whether the patients concerned can continue to obtain medical exemption according to their clinical condition," the statement reads.

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"If clinics of the public healthcare system notice any suspected criminal behaviors, they will handle those cases seriously and refer them to enforcement departments for follow-up depending on the circumstance," it added.

The government said the eHealth System contains records of exemption certificates issued by the doctors suspected of issuing spurious certificates and these are accessible to public sector doctors. 

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"In fact, GOPCs under the HA have all along been providing advice for visiting patients who intend to receive COVID-19 vaccination but have doubts about their health condition in order to assist the patients to make decision on vaccination,” the government said.