Government Expects BioNTech Information Next Week

The Secretary for the Civil Service, Patrick Nip, says he is expecting more information next week from BioNTech about the safety of its currently-suspended Covid-19 vaccine. Over 150,000 people here have already had their first BioNTech jab and they now face uncertainty over their second dose.

On Wednesday, the SAR government stopped administering the vaccine, after front line staff found problems with some of the vials.

Speaking on a radio programme on Saturday, Mr Nip - who heads Hong Kong's vaccination programme - said the government would consider resuming BioNTech inoculations if an ongoing investigation by the German vaccine manufacturer showed that the vaccine was safe for use. But he said, plans could only be made once the findings were out.

Vaccination workers had found about 60 examples of problem vials, such as cracks in containers, loose caps and stains on the outside of bottles.

The vaccines inside the problem vials, though, were not used and both the government and BioNTech have said there is no reason to believe there are any safety risks.

The distributor for the vaccine in China, Fosun, is also investigating.