Starting from March 1, the Department of Health (DH) has been distributing the first batch of the Sinovac vaccines to private doctors and clinics participating in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (the Programme) under the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme. The relevant private doctors and clinics have started providing vaccination to members of the public from March 2.

     As at today (March 3) 6pm, around 1 350 private doctors (around 1 860 clinic locations) have joined the programme. Out of them, around 1 000 doctors have approached DH to place orders for the vaccines and 880 doctors (around 900 clinic locations) have received the first batch of vaccines ordered, involving around 60 000 odd doses in total. The remaining 100 odd doctors would have the ordered doses delivered to them as soon as possible. The list of private doctors who have placed orders for the vaccines as at March 1 and the relevant clinics is provided on the programme's thematic website for reference (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/VSS). The list will be updated in a timely manner.

     Response from members of the public has been enthusiastic. As at 4pm today, around 10 000 citizens have received the Sinovac vaccine through private doctors.

     The Government will strive to ensure that private doctors are provided with sufficient vaccine doses to meet the needs of the public. After the first batch of doses was used, the private doctors may make orders according to their needs. The DH will coordinate the delivery of the vaccines and monitor the usage situation, having regard to the private doctors' use of the vaccines and the supply. As at 4pm today, 262 doctors have approached DH to place orders for the next batch of vaccines, involving around 20 800 odd doses in total.

     "Vaccinations will protect ourselves and others, and reduce the chance of an outbreak of the epidemic in the community. We call on people in the five priority groups to get vaccinated as soon as possible so that Hong Kong's economy and people's lives can return to normal as soon as possible," the spokesman said.

Ends/Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Issued at HKT 23:52

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