First batch of Comirnaty bivalent vaccine arrives in Hong Kong
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Soon after the arrival of the batch of Comirnaty bivalent vaccine in Hong Kong, government staff carried out stringent checking and inspection in accordance with established procedures to ensure that the vaccine complies with the product specifications and that the transportation process follows the relevant cold-chain requirements. The Government will put the vaccine in validated ultra-low temperature freezers to ensure its proper storage in accordance with the temperature specified by the drug manufacturer.
The Government plans to start providing the bivalent vaccination service to members of the public from early December and details will be announced later. According to expert advice, the Comirnaty bivalent vaccine can be used as an alternative to the fourth dose (or the third dose for recovered persons) for eligible persons aged 12 or above following the current vaccination schedule, while Sinovac and Comirnaty ancestral strain vaccines could still be used.
The experts recommended two groups of persons to receive the fourth dose (or third dose for recovered persons): (1) people aged 50 or above, and (2) immunocompromised persons aged 12 or above. People aged 18 to 49 may also choose to receive the fourth dose after considering the individual risk and benefit (e.g. at a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure or with personal needs).
The Government has procured a total of 1.9 million doses of the Comirnaty bivalent vaccine from the manufacturer and the remaining doses are expected to be transported to Hong Kong by the end of 2022. The Government will closely monitor the demand for the bivalent vaccine and purchase additional doses if needed.
The Government strongly urges members of the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Details of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme can be found at the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, November 25, 2022
Issued at HKT 23:01
Issued at HKT 23:01
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