The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, inspected the operation of a COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination Station (MVS) at Ping Che Road in Ta Kwu Ling today (March 22), and thanked the residents for supporting the Government's call to get vaccinated. She noted that the dire epidemic situation prevails and the number of positive cases remains at a high level. Members of the public should get vaccinated early to secure protection for themselves and those around them, and at the same time meet the adjusted vaccination requirements of the Vaccine Pass.
      
     With the facilitation of the Ta Kwu Ling District Rural Committee, the Government provided vaccination service to residents in the vicinity by operating a MVS in the form of a container. Four hundred people received the Sinovac vaccine through the service. Professor Chan said that the MVS offered service within easy reach of the rural community, especially for the elderly as it spared them from travelling, thus making it conducive to promoting vaccination among the public.
      
     She said, "The Government has been providing vaccination services at different locations across the city through multiple channels including Community Vaccination Centres, public hospitals, designated general outpatient clinics of the Hospital Authority, designated clinics of the Department of Health and outreach vaccination service. Meanwhile, District Health Centres (DHCs) ohave been actively participating in anti-epidemic work at the district level. Subsequent to the provision of BioNTech vaccination service at the Kwai Tsing DHC, the Sham Shui Po DHC will also administer BioNTech vaccines for the public starting tomorrow (March 23). Members of the public can make reservations for vaccination with ease via the designated website for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk)."
      
     Professor Chan also reminded the public on the adjustments to the vaccination requirements of the Vaccine Pass.
      
     "Upon adjustment, the implementation of the stage three Vaccine Pass will be advanced to start on May 31 instead of June 30. In addition, the grace period for persons aged 12 or above (not recovered persons) to receive the third dose after the second dose will be shortened from the original nine months to six months. Therefore, members of the public who wish to enter specified premises covered by the Vaccine Pass during stage two and stage three should grasp the time and get vaccinated without delay," she added.
      
     Professor Chan reiterated that both COVID-19 vaccines available in Hong Kong are safe and highly effective in protecting against severe disease and death from COVID-19 infection. The Government is working towards the goal of boosting vaccination rates of children, teenagers and the elderly by the end of April by continuing to provide them with the greatest convenience in vaccination, so that they can get the protection as early as possible.

Ends/Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:43

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