Okay For Elderly To Receive Sinovac Jab: Patrick Nip

The minister in charge of Hong Kong's vaccination programme, Patrick Nip, has played down concerns that it may not be suitable for elderly people to receive the Covid-19 vaccine made by China's Sinovac, saying experts have concluded that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Some health experts have cautioned against using the Sinovac vaccine to inoculate those aged 60 and above, saying there isn't enough clinical data to show the vaccine is effective and safe for senior citizens.

Speaking on an RTHK programme, Nip admitted that there's not much clinical data available, but stressed that does not mean the Sinovac vaccine cannot be used on the elderly.

He said the mainland drugmaker says people aged 18 and above can take its vaccine and it creates a certain amount of antibodies in the over 60s.

Nip, the secretary for the civil service, said an expert panel agreed that the elderly are a high-risk group and should be given priority to receive vaccination.

Asked why the government doesn't ensure that elderly people are only inoculated with vaccines that are proven to be safe and effective for them, Nip said there have also been serious incidents overseas among people who received other coronavirus jabs.

He said people who have chronic illnesses that are not under control should not get vaccinated and anyone who isn’t sure whether they should get a dose should consult their doctors.

Three people have died in Hong Kong days after receiving the Sinovac vaccine, while two more became seriously ill. But experts say they haven’t seen any direct link between the incidents and the vaccinations.

Nip said he understands that people may have concerns about Covid vaccines, but he stressed that experts will look into each and every case of possible severe side effects and will report their findings to the public.

Asked under what circumstances the government would suspend the vaccination programme, Nip said experts will continue to assess whether the overall benefits outweigh the risks.

The government opened online bookings for Germany's BioNTech vaccine at another 12 centres on Tuesday morning. People can book a slot between next Tuesday and the end of the month.

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