The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, and a number of Principal Officials today (February 22) took the lead to receive their first dose of the Sinovac vaccine, developed and produced in the Mainland. They appealed to the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19 early to protect themselves and others, with a view to safeguarding public health in the community and restoring the local economy and people's livelihood to normal later.
Mrs Lam said, "I and a number of Secretaries of Departments and Directors of Bureaux take the lead to get vaccinated today. We hope that by taking action ourselves, we can serve as an example and encourage members of the public to join the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Vaccination is free of charge. We appeal to the public to actively participate in the programme so that Hong Kong can put a stop to the epidemic as early as possible.
"Vaccination is an extremely important anti-epidemic measure. Given the tight supply of vaccines worldwide, the Government has strived to provide COVID-19 vaccines that are in compliance with the safety, efficacy and quality requirements and to arrange for the public to get vaccinated in an orderly manner.
"I am delighted that, with the support of the Central Government, the first batch of one million doses of the Sinovac vaccine arrived in Hong Kong smoothly from Beijing last Friday. People belonging to the five priority groups can be vaccinated from February 26 onwards. They are: persons aged 60 or above (a maximum of two carers who accompany elderly people aged 70 or above can also receive vaccination); personnel in healthcare settings and those participating in anti-epidemic related work; residents and staff of residential care homes for the elderly/persons with disabilities; personnel maintaining critical public services; and personnel performing cross-boundary related work. A batch of the Comirnaty vaccine will be transported to Hong Kong before the end of this month and we would arrange vaccination for the public soon afterwards.
"With COVID-19 raging across the globe, the year-long epidemic has impacted significantly on Hong Kong, no matter in the economic and social aspects or people's livelihood. In the face of the epidemic, vaccines give us light and hope for winning the battle against the virus. I call on citizens to grasp the opportunity to get vaccinated early and muster our efforts to win over the fight against the virus."
After the Chief Executive and the officials received the vaccination at the Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) run by the Department of Health at the Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Central Library, some members of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council also received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine there.
There will be four channels for vaccination. Members of the public can get vaccination at 29 CVCs in the 18 districts across the territory, more than 1 500 private clinics, and 18 general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority. Outreach teams will also go to residential care homes for the elderly and homes for persons with disabilities to provide on-site vaccination service.
Healthcare staff will provide vaccination services to the public at the CVCs. Among the CVCs, five of them will provide the Sinovac vaccine while 24 of them will provide the Comirnaty vaccine. The CVCs will commence operation in phases, depending on the arrival of the vaccines in Hong Kong, the quantity of vaccines and the situation of vaccination.
From 0.00am tomorrow (February 23) onwards, people belonging to the priority groups for vaccination can make appointments online to receive the Sinovac vaccine at five CVCs and the 18 general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority starting from February 26. Private doctors participating in the vaccination programme will commence administering the Sinovac vaccine for the public before mid-March.
Members of the public can visit the thematic website, www.covidvaccine.gov.hk, to make reservation for vaccination and to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines.
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