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Ngai Yeung

Sammy Heung

Zoe Low

Hong Kong’s launch of walk-in coronavirus vaccinations for residents aged 70 or above attracted queues early on Thursday despite the hot weather.
More than 1,500 passes were distributed in the morning, according to civil service chief Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, who described the operation as going smoothly.
Many of the dozens seen waiting in line at two vaccination centres said they were taking advantage of the new appointment-free system because they did not know how to book online, previously the only way to secure a slot under the government’s inoculation drive.
Also on Thursday, authorities confirmed two Covid-19 infections, both imported and involving arrivals from the United States and Tanzania. The overall case tally stood at 11,982, with 212 related deaths.
Walk-in Covid-19 vaccination scheme for Hong Kong elderly to start Thursday
The patients both tested positive for the more transmissible L452R strain of the coronavirus.
The US arrival had received two shots of the BioNTech vaccine in March and April. Experts have stressed that inoculation alone cannot eliminate the risk of infection, but can greatly reduce its effects.
Officials also ordered residents and staff at the Rosedale Hotel in Causeway Bay to undergo mandatory testing after a previous guest tested positive for the coronavirus on arrival in London on July 17. The asymptomatic patient left the city on July 15 and had stayed in the hotel during his incubation period.
By 7.30am on Thursday, about 40 older people were queuing at the inoculation centre in Prince Edward’s Boundary Street Sports Centre, while 30 waited outside the Central Library in Causeway Bay. Both groups were hoping to get one of the 200 slots available for the day at each venue.




Tang Siu-shing, 83, was in line at the library, which offers the mainland Chinese-made Sinovac jab. He said his legs were “trembling” because he had been standing for too long since arriving at 7.30am.
“There should be more people helping us to register so I can leave earlier,” he said. “Or they can let us wait in the library with air conditioning.”
Tang said he decided against getting inoculated earlier because he wanted others to “test” the vaccine first.
The octogenarian added he could have asked his children to help him book an appointment, but turning up at his leisure was more convenient. “I can just come after my morning walk,” he added.
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Although Hong Kong’s vaccination drive has picked up in recent weeks after a sluggish few months, inoculations among seniors have lagged behind other demographic groups.
While almost half of residents aged 40 to 49 are fully vaccinated, only 5.2 per cent of those 80 and above have received two jabs of a coronavirus vaccine since the drive started in February. Some 18.7 per cent of the population aged between 70 and 79 are fully vaccinated.
In an effort to boost the vaccination rate among the older generation, authorities launched a scheme from Thursday providing up to 4,600 walk-in slots each day at 24 of the city’s 29 inoculation centres.
Staff at the two centres the Post visited on launch day said between 10 and 30 people could get vaccinated every hour.
The government has also said it will consider extending the walk-in scheme to those aged 60 and above if the response is positive.

At the Prince Edward centre, which offers German-made BioNTech shots, a 77-year-old resident of the district, surnamed Chan, was hoping to get a jab so she could visit her children in Australia and mainland China.
“I came by myself today because I didn’t need to make a booking online, as I don’t even know how to go on the internet,” said Chan, who had visited a private clinic the day before to check she was medically fit for the jab.
“I have diabetes and skin allergies, but I guess I can’t overthink this now. If I don’t get vaccinated, I can’t go anywhere.”




Health and technology issues were among the concerns of elderly residents waiting in line for the jab.
“I wanted to see other people take the jab first before taking it myself,” said a woman surnamed Wong, 77, who came with her husband. “Personally I’m in good shape today, and I live nearby so I came at 7am this morning.”
Wong’s husband has not been vaccinated and will monitor his wife’s reaction before taking a jab himself.
A 75-year-old, also surnamed Chan, likewise said he was using the walk-in service because he did not know how to book online.




Chan said he was aware of the BioNTech jab’s potential for stronger side effects but still selected it based on the higher efficacy rate. “It has to be like that if it’s more effective; it’s the better choice.”
Another couple, with the surname Lam, decided to go to the Central Library, but it was not until after their arrival that they realised the vaccination centre there only offered the Sinovac jab.
“The government should also think about the elderly. Young people know how to book online but we don’t,” they said, adding they went ahead with the jab after calling a friend for advice.
As of Thursday, 42.2 per cent of the city’s overall population had received a first vaccine dose, while 31.5 per cent were fully inoculated.
Additional reporting by Victor Ting


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Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus: Hong Kong launch of walk-in vaccinations for over 70s attracts queues, as elderly brave hot weather in rush for jabs

Those aged 70 or above in Hong Kong can get vaccinated from Thursday without making an appointment. Photo: Dickson Lee

The first day arrangement for a daily quota of about 4,600 walk-in slots would be available in total for those aged 70 and above at 24 of the cityâs 29 community vaccination centres. Boundary Street Stadium in Mong Kong, 29JUL21.   SCMP/ Dickson Lee

Walk-ins welcome: Hong Kong to begin offering Covid-19 jabs to the elderly without appointment

Elderly residents leave one of Hong Kong’s community vaccination centres. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Coronavirus: third child of Hong Kong’s Saudi Arabian consulate staff member confirmed to have Covid-19

Hong Kong residents queue up at a mobile coronavirus testing point in Central. Photo: Sam Tsang

View of Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung.13MAR21 SCMP / Edmond So

Coronavirus Hong Kong: vaccination bookings soar, with many centres fully booked for next 2 weeks

People wait to receive the BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a centre in Sai Ying Pun. Photo: Felix Wong

People queue up for their Sinovac vaccination at Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay. 06JUL21 SCMP / Winson Wong

‘Forget herd immunity’: Hong Kong experts say better to prepare to live with Covid-19, but more must get their jabs

Hong Kong resident Evangeline Solis Santos has her photo taken by friends after being vaccinated with BioNTech earlier this month in Sai Ying Pun. Photo: May Tse

Head of Epidemiology and biostatistics Benjamin Cowling (R), speaking at the HKUMed update on the real-time population data on vaccine confidence presser, at LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam.    28JAN21     SCMP / Jonathan Wong

People queue up for their Sinovac vaccination for coronavirus at Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay. 19JUL21 SCMP / Winson Wong

Professor Kwok Kin-on speaks to the press at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin, on findings in a community research during the Covid-19 outbreak. 18FEB20 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Coronavirus

Greater China


Thousands of slots available daily without booking – from Thursday – for people aged over 70, in scheme to encourage more to get inoculated
City confirms two more Covid-19 cases, both imported and involving a more transmissible strain of the coronavirus



Thousands of slots are available daily without booking – from Thursday – for over 70s, in scheme to encourage more older people to get vaccinated against Covid-19.


Coronavirus: Hong Kong launch of walk-in vaccinations for over 70s attracts queues, as elderly brave hot weather in rush for jabs

Thousands of slots available daily without booking – from Thursday – for people aged over 70, in scheme to encourage more to get inoculated City confirms two more Covid-19 cases, both imported and involving a more transmissible strain of the coronavirus

Thousands of slots available daily without booking – from Thursday – for people aged over 70, in scheme to encourage more to get inoculated

City confirms two more Covid-19 cases, both imported and involving a more transmissible strain of the coronavirus