Make bookings, don't walk-in: vaccination center operator calls as demand surges

A community vaccination center operator called upon citizens to book their jabs instead of doing walk-in, saying the center is struggling to meet a surge in demand due to the government's plan to expand the vaccine bubble on February 24.

Ares Leung Kwok-ling, the chief operating officer of Town Health International Medical Group, said there have been long queues at Hiu Kwong Street Sports Centre in Kwun Tong, the vaccination center the group is in charge of.

Around 600 to 900 people booked to get their first jab, while more than 1,000 booked for booster jabs.

The center found it increasingly difficult to maintain the 300 walk-in quotas it provides a day. He urged the public to book jabs instead.

Leung also said the authorities are in discussion with operators to add more vaccination spots and boost capacity.

Infectious disease expert Leung Chi-chiu said rushing vaccination could be counterproductive.

He said around 2 million eligible Hongkongers have yet to get vaccinated, and children aged below 12 are not included in vaccination schemes.

It is impossible to raise the vaccination rate to nearly 100 percent shortly.

Expanding the vaccine bubble can encourage vaccinations, but it is impractical to use it to stop transmission of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in communities, he said.

Many western countries have already rolled out “vaccine passports” and transmissions continue, he said. Vaccines can only reduce severe complications and death.

He said strict quarantine and border control measures should stay to stop imported cases from entering communities. Otherwise, the number of cases could multiple during a short period of time and the situation could go out of control within two or three weeks.