'HK Should Follow UK In Approving Covid Vaccine'

A pharmacists' group said on Thursday that Hong Kong should follow in the footsteps of the UK and approve a coronavirus vaccine made by drugmakers Pfizer and BioNTech.

Early clinical trials have shown it to be 95 percent effective, and a mass vaccination programme is set to begin in Britain next week.

The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong said although the SAR would likely not receive the first batch of the jabs anytime soon, local health authorities should try to secure the vaccine approved by UK and different types of vaccines from difference sources at the same time.

Its president, William Chui, added that the supply of Covid-19 vaccines has been tight due to the pre-orders made by Western countries.

And with many manufacturers located overseas, "priority is given to the Western countries instead of Hong Kong," he said.

In order to give Hong Kong more choices, Chui said the government should consider procuring vaccines manufactured by the mainland.

"We want more choice. That's why the offer from the mainland is one of the options for us to consider. Of course we have to go through the normal process, to look at the quality, safety and efficacy," he told RTHK's Candice Wong.

"Once all these are fulfilled by the Department of Health, I think there is no harm to import or to procure the vaccine made by China."