Hong Kong's 'vaccine bubble' requires residents to finish booster jabs by June

The "vaccine pass" in Hong Kong will require residents aged 12 or above to finish three Covid-19 vaccine jabs gradually by June, a health official announced on Tuesday.   

Under the vaccine pass, only the vaccinated can enter a list of regulated premises, including restaurants, supermarkets, shopping malls, and entertainment venues.

Read more: Hong Kong will ban the unvaccinated from malls, supermarkets, wet markets: Carrie Lam

Permanent secretary for food and health Thomas Chan Chung-ching said the scheme will be enforced in three phases.

The first phase, to start on February 24, will require residents to get at least one jab before entering premises.

The second phase will start at the end of April. Those aged 18 or above have to complete two jabs. As for those aged between 12 and 17, they are allowed entry with only one jab.

The final phase will start at the end of June, requiring all residents aged 18 or above to get a booster shot if it has been nine months since their second shot.

As for how the law will be enforced, Chan said there will be "passive enforcement" at locations with a lot of people, such as supermarkets, shopping malls, and wet markets. Visitors won't be asked to present their vaccine pass one by one, but law enforcers can carry out random checks inside the venues.

From Thursday, Hongkongers will also be banned from having cross-family gatherings involving more than two households.

Chan said law enforcers will not head to homes for checks. But once a person gets infected, and contact tracing indicates they attended a family gathering in breach of the law, there will be legal consequences.

In the meantime, the government has no plan to include public transport in the vaccine pass, Chan said.