Vaccine Bookings On The Rise Under Expanded Scheme

An expanded city-wide coronavirus vaccination programme appeared to have received a good response from the public on Tuesday, with some vaccination centres and public clinics fully booked for the next two weeks despite lingering concerns about the jabs.

The minimum age requirement for the vaccines has been lowered from 60 to 30, amid reservations expressed by some people after several deaths were reported. Students who are over 16 and studying outside of Hong Kong and domestic helpers are also among those given priority.

Jo Lau, 35, who’s an artist, made an appointment for a BioNTech jab as soon as online bookings opened at 9am.

She said everyone has to work together for Hong Kong to achieve herd immunity, and she hopes people's lives can return to normal as soon as possible.

“The longer the virus is allowed to live on and mutate, the higher the chance that some super-infectious strains could emerge and plunge us all into hell 2.0,” she said.

Robert, an architect from the United States, also welcomes the news that more people will be eligible for the jabs.

“A few weeks ago, it seemed like Hong Kong was one of the last places to get it and now all of a sudden after the decision to expand the group, I think Hong Kong is at the forefront of letting more of the population, almost the entire population [to take the vaccines],” the 56-year-old said.

Filipino domestic helper Kristine said she wanted to get vaccinated so she could travel back to her home country one day.

“For the future, I will go home. Maybe they will require [the vaccination] in my place. So I take the vaccine now,” she said.

But some people continued to adopt a wait-and-see approach.

A man surnamed Tsui, who works in the finance sector, said certain types of employees, such as delivery staff and construction workers, should get vaccinated first. The 35-year-old said he would only take the jab if others get inoculated without problems.

“I’m not going to take the vaccine now… maybe three months later,” he said.

Secondary school teacher Caroline Kwong, 36, said she doesn’t trust the vaccines.

“I’m not that eager to be a lab rat,” she said.