Gap Between 2nd Dose And Booster Cut For Over 60s

The minister in charge of Hong Kong's vaccination drive, Patrick Nip, says from Saturday, people aged 60 and above will be able to book a booster shot only three months after their second dose.

Government expert advisers had earlier recommended shortening the minimum interval between the second and third doses for adults, from six months to three.

On an RTHK show on Friday, Nip said the over 60s are being given priority for now, partly because of the capacity limits of vaccination centres.

"We hope the elderly will take their third dose earlier. Our main consideration is giving them priority,” he said.

“Currently, the epidemic situation is so severe so we must focus on the elderly and children. In future, if we have met that demand, we can release the quota for other people, as well as shorten the interval between the second and third doses.”

The minister added that outreach medical teams will go to elderly care homes in the coming two weeks to vaccinate residents.

He said over half of the city’s 1,000 care homes have now reported infections, and only 40 percent of residents in elderly homes have received a jab.

Nip said there are medics who are willing to visit Covid-hit care homes to vaccinate elderly people, as long as these residents are uninfected and are fit to be inoculated.

He added that the vaccination rate for children aged three to 11 should reach 40 percent this week.

On the upcoming citywide testing plan, the civil service chief said the number of civil servants enlisted to help will be greater than that deployed for the Legco elections last December.