Editorial | A swift and firm response is needed over Hong Kong vaccine scare
- Concerns over BioNTech must be nipped in the bud, and the onus falls on the companies providing the jabs and the governments that approve them
Vaccine scares are not uncommon. The abrupt suspension of Covid-19 shots made by BioNTech pending investigations over “packaging defects” in a batch administered in Hong Kong and Macau has put the governments’ emergency response to the test.
Until there is scientific evidence showing safety is compromised, the moratorium, officials say, is a case for precaution rather than alarm. That said, the fiasco does nothing for a campaign that is resisted by many people. Every effort must be made to reassure confidence.
The decision followed the advice of Fosun Pharma in response to government queries over a series of problems discovered by frontline medical staff. Since the roll-out in early March, there have been dozens of reports about cracked containers, loose caps, stained bottles and leakage.
Officials are adamant that such irregularities are matters for the manufacturer’s attention, adding that it shows the stringent monitoring system has been working well. Even though these shots in question are said to have been discarded, people are dismayed when they only knew about the defects on Wednesday.
The minister overseeing the vaccination programme has rightly apologised for the inconvenience and chaos caused.
The suspension was only confirmed in a brief statement after Macau made a formal notice on Wednesday morning. Many people only knew vaccination centres had closed when they showed up for their bookings.