Exclusive | Coronavirus: BioNTech vaccine for children may be available in Hong Kong as early as October
- Insider says local distributor of German-made vaccine has provided clinical data to health authorities, launching weeks-long approval process
- Each coronavirus shot contains one-tenth of adult dosage, reducing likelihood of children developing severe side effects such as myocarditis
The long-awaited BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children may be available in Hong Kong as early as next month after the drug maker this week applied to the government for permission to supply the lower-dosage shots, the Post has learned.
Approval would give parents another option when inoculating their children against the virus, as only the Chinese-manufactured Sinovac is available for those as young as six months.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Fosun Pharma, which distributes the German manufacturer’s vaccine in the city, submitted documents this week to the Department of Health, including the latest clinical data on its jabs specific for children aged from six months to three years old.
“Submitting the papers would mean [the company] has enough stock to sell to us,” the insider said. “It could take just a few weeks’ time to complete the approval process, as it’s got all the data ready and the US Food and Drug Administration had also made the same authorisation based on the same set of data.”
The shots, containing just a tenth of the adult dosage, are considered sufficient in protecting against the coronavirus and are less likely to cause severe side effects such as myocarditis in the younger population.
After receiving the application, members of the committees on vaccine preventable diseases and emerging and zoonotic diseases, will convene a joint session to review the data and make a recommendation to the government. The Health Bureau would then give final approval.
