HK's First Covid Shots Go To Carrie Lam And Her Team

Chief Executive Carrie Lam and her ministers on Monday became the first people to receive Covid-19 vaccines in Hong Kong.

Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng, Security Secretary John Lee and most of the rest of Lam's top team were given jabs at the Central Library.

The press were invited to cover the process which was broadcast live on television.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Environment Secretary Wong Kam-sing and Commerce Secretary Edward Yau were not among those receiving the shots.

Their offices said they were preoccupied with work, and will get the jabs later.

Lam said they had received shots from the mainland company Sinovac, and she hoped that by government officials taking the lead in getting vaccinated they could reassure people that the jabs are safe.

She said if people aren't confident about receiving the jabs because they have heard "untrue" comments, then the vaccination programme will not achieve the intended result.

"I have to assure every Hong Kong citizen that the government is very serious about the safety, efficacy and quality of vaccines. We will only use vaccines which meet those high standards before we put it into the government vaccination programme," she said.

The first million jabs from Sinovac arrived in Hong Kong on February 19, while jabs from Germany's BioNTech are expected to reach the territory by the end of the month.

The government's vaccination programme is due to get underway on February 26, with those in various "high priority" groups the first to be invited to get inoculated.