NPC Deputies Urge Beijing To Give HK Sinopharm Jabs

Hong Kong's member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), Tam Yiu-chung, on Friday confirmed that local NPC deputies have written to Beijing, asking it to send Covid vaccines manufactured by mainland company, Sinopharm, to the SAR.

The Hong Kong government earlier said it had purchased coronavirus jabs from another mainland firm, Sinovac, as well as two types of vaccine developed by overseas drug companies.

During an online media briefing, Tam was asked whether the NPC members had bypassed the SAR government's official procedures by writing to the central government themselves to appeal for the Sinopharm vaccine.

He replied that the deputies just thought it would be nice for Hong Kong people to have more choices.

Sinopharm has said its vaccine is more than 70 percent effective, but it hasn't published any data in medical journals.

Tam said he received a shot of the vaccine in the capital on Wednesday, and has felt fine since, even sleeping better than he did before.

He added that the NPCSC meeting in Beijing this week had nothing on the agenda relating to Hong Kong.