The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, urged parents not to underestimate the effects and complications faced by young children without the protection conferred by the COVID-19 vaccine should they get infected during her attendance at "Children with jabs, parents with ease" parent-child activities today (December 3). Parents should act fast in arranging COVID-19 vaccination for their children. For the sake of their health, the young and old should receive the required dosage of vaccine as early as possible for the best protection.
 
     A series of "Children with jabs, parents with ease" parent-child education activities were held at the D·PARK in Tsuen Wan. There were COVID-19 vaccination-themed game booths designed by teachers, students and parents from a number of kindergartens for the public to learn together with their families more about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination through the games. There were also a sharing session on COVID-19 vaccination by a paediatrician and an artiste, along with a singing performance of a vaccination song "Let's get a jab".
 
     A mobile vaccination station was set up at the venue providing vaccination service of five kinds of COVID-19 vaccine (the Sinvoac vaccine, the BioNTech bivalent vaccine, the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine, and the paediatric and toddler formulations of the BioNTech vaccine) for members of the public of different ages to receive on site.
 
     Mrs Yeung said, "According to the statistics provided by the health authorities, since the fifth wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong, 11 children aged 11 or below who tested positive for COVID-19 have passed away. Parents should face squarely children's risks. How to provide the best care and strongest protection to children at this moment? The answer is to arrange for them to get vaccinated as soon as possible as no one can tell whether the next child who contracts the virus will get seriously ill, die or suffer from the after-effects of 'post COVID-19 condition'. As the Christmas and New Year holidays are approaching, different kinds of gatherings and activities will be more frequent, which will also increase children's chances of COVID-19 infection. Parents should arrange vaccination for their children as soon as possible."
 
     Other officiating guests attending "Children with jabs, parents with ease" parent-child activities included the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Leung, and the Director of Information Services, Mr Fletch Chan. They were also adjudicators to rate the design of the booth games. Yan Chai Hospital Choi Pat Tai Kindergarten/Child Care Centre won the championship of the most creative booth game, while the first and second runner-ups were awarded to Yan Chai Hospital Tung Pak Ying Kindergarten/Child Care Centre and Creative Kindergarten and Day Nursery.

     Meanwhile, the "Little Anti-epidemic Pioneer" parent-child colouring contest attracted around 300 kindergarten pupils to participate and complete the colouring works with their parents. The champion went to Chan Shu-nga of Choice English School & Kindergarten, the first runner-up was Bianca Cheung of Talent Kindergarten, and the second runner-up was Chan Yau-shing of Kwun Tong Baptist Church Kindergarten.
 
     Since September, the Government has rolled out a series of promotion and education activities. Apart from the online programmes co-produced with a parenting website, parent-child workshops have also been held at different kindergartens to let parents and children learn about COVID-19 vaccination while having fun from activities as guided by instructors.

     The designated website for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/programme) provides the latest information including details on vaccination venues, reservations and enquiry hotlines.

Ends/Saturday, December 3, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:23

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