DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres and Student Health Service Centres to further facilitate COVID-19 vaccination for toddlers and children
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Starting from next Monday (November 28), its five MCHCs (Sai Wan Ho MCHC, Tang Chi Ngong MCHC, Lam Tin MCHC, Ma On Shan MCHC and Tsing Yi MCHC) will provide booked vaccination service to children aged between 6 months and 4 years with the toddler formulation of the BioNTech vaccine. The five current designated MCHCs (namely Sai Wan Ho MCHC, Tang Chi Ngong MCHC, Lam Tin MCHC, Ma On Shan MCHC and Yan Oi MCHC) will also provide the booked Sinovac vaccination service to children aged between 6 months and 4 years.
In addition, starting from December 6, five designated SHSCs of the DH (Chai Wan SHSC, Lam Tin SHSC, Sha Tin SHSC, Tuen Mun SHSC and Western SHSC) will have the following adjustment in COVID-19 vaccination services:
Monday, Thursday, Friday (except public holidays): Provision of Sinovac vaccines for children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years
Tuesday, Wednesday (except public holidays): Provision of BioNTech (paediatric formulation) vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 years
As the toddler and paediatric formulations of the BioNTech vaccine for children require a special dilution procedure, there is no same-day ticket arrangement at the relevant MCHCs and SHSCs. Parents have to make prior bookings online. Parents and guardians can make bookings for their children from 9am on November 25 at the booking system on the designated website of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk).
The Government has lowered the minimum age for receiving the Sinovac vaccine to 6 months old since August 4. Following the arrival of the toddler formulation of the BioNTech vaccine, the minimum age for receiving the BioNTech vaccine has been lowered to 6 months old to provide one more option to parents.
For children aged 6 months to 4 years, there should be a time interval of eight weeks between their first two doses of the BioNTech vaccine (toddler formulation). The dosing interval can be shortened to a minimum of three weeks for those with personal needs under informed consent after consideration of individual risk and benefit. And there should be a three-month interval between the second and third doses. For children aged 5 to 11 years who receive BioNTech vaccine (paediatric formulation), two doses are required. And there should be a time interval of eight weeks between the two doses of vaccines.
Children have weaker resistance to diseases, and they can fall into a severe condition should they get infected with the COVID-19 virus. They may also develop medium and long-term after-effects after recovery. Vaccination can reduce the risks of serious illness and death, and the Government appeals to parents to act fast and place COVID-19 vaccination bookings for their children for the sake of their health.
Things to note for vaccination
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The consent form for parents can be downloaded from the designated website of the Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/pdf/Consent_Form_for_Fractional_BioNTech_Vaccination_ENG.pdf). Apart from the consent form, children aged 3 to 11 have to be accompanied by an adult family member, a domestic helper or a school teacher to receive vaccination; children aged below 3 have to be accompanied by their parents/guardians in person when receiving vaccination.
Persons have to bring along the original identity documents on the date of vaccination. If the identity documents do not bear the child's photo, such as the birth certificate, for children already attending a school, they have to present school documents (such as school handbooks) bearing a photo of the student at the time of vaccination.
Ends/Wednesday, November 23, 2022
Issued at HKT 19:00
Issued at HKT 19:00
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