The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, visited the COVID-19 Vaccination Stations set up in Queen Mary Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital today (September 30) and encouraged patients visiting public hospitals for follow-up appointments and visitors to receive COVID-19 vaccination.
      
     The Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan, and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, accompanied Professor Chan during the visits. "The HA has been actively supporting the Government to promote the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, including arranging for outreach vaccination teams to conduct assessments on residents of elderly homes and provide vaccination services for suitable residents. The HA also provides vaccination information at 73 general out-patient clinics and arranges for doctors to provide assessment services at these clinics for patients with regular follow-up and intending to receive COVID-19 vaccination, so as to help them in making a decision on vaccination," Professor Chan said.
      
     "Elderly persons, chronic disease patients and other immunocompromised persons have a comparatively higher risk of deteriorating condition and even death once infected with COVID-19. They should therefore get vaccinated as soon as possible for self-protection. At present, many patients with follow-up appointments at specialist out-patient clinics (SOPCs) belong to these vulnerable groups. The setting up of vaccination stations at public hospitals assists them to receive vaccination without prior booking. HA staff have specially made convenient arrangements for these patients attending follow-up consultation to assist them to receive vaccination."
      
     The Government has been operating COVID-19 Vaccination Stations in Queen Mary Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital since yesterday (September 29) to enable patients visiting the hospitals for follow-up appointments and visitors, in particular SOPC patients, to receive BioNTech vaccination without prior booking.
      
     "I am glad that members of the public who used the services provided by the vaccination stations have highly praised the arrangements. I call on patients with follow-up appointments and visitors to make the best use of this helpful measure to get vaccinated as soon as possible for the sake of their own health and to help build a protective barrier for Hong Kong as well. I am also delighted to learn that HA staff have set a good example for vaccination and that the overall vaccination rate of HA staff has exceeded 95 per cent," Professor Chan added.
      
     The vaccination stations are open from 10am to 7pm on weekdays except public holidays, with no lunch break. Last vaccination is at 6.30pm. Arrangements will be made for people being vaccinated to receive their second dose at the same vaccination station or a Community Vaccination Centre. For those who opt for the Sinovac vaccine, the vaccination stations will refer them to a nearby Community Vaccination Centre.

Ends/Thursday, September 30, 2021
Issued at HKT 18:23

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