Fears over Covid jabs as vaccination rate drops

The city’s coronavirus vaccination rate has dropped to 72 percent from the initial 90 percent, with members of the public ditching on their appointments to get the jab amid recent cases showing suspected serious adverse events following vaccination.

Secretary for the Civil Service, Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, said citizens’ concerns are understandable, which reflected on the vaccination rate of the city’s inoculation program.

“All cases will be reviewed by an expert panel to determine if the adverse events following vaccination have any linkage with the vaccines,” he said, adding that many citizens still have confidence in the Chinese-made Sinovac jabs.

So far, the panel had reached a preliminary conclusion that the recent deaths in Hong Kong including a 63-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman - who received the Sinovac jabs before they passed away - have no connection with the vaccines.

When asked if authorities are treating Hong Kong citizens like guinea pigs, as the mainland has not suggested people aged 60 or above to receive the Covid jabs.

The minister in charge of the city's Covid-19 vaccination program said the situation in Hong Kong is different from in China, given the mortality rate in the city among senior citizens after the infection is quite high.

“The expert panel, after reviewing all relevant vaccine data, had concluded that the benefits for senior citizens getting the jab outweigh the risks,” said Nip.

However, he stressed that citizens are obliged to pay attention to their own health conditions, and should not receive the jab if there are suffering from other uncontrolled diseases.

Meanwhile, Authorities said eight people were sent to the hospital on Monday after getting the Covid jab.

Six of the eight had received the Sinovac vaccine, while the remaining two had received BioNTech shots, RTHK reports.

The eight reportedly got their vaccines on Sunday, and developed symptoms that included dizziness, headaches, palpitations, chest discomfort, and a rash.

In the end, five cases did not require hospital admission, two were discharged, and one was admitted for observation.