Hong Kong must be on Covid-19 alert for whole of 2021 as vaccines are no silver bullet, warns top official, as city’s death toll climbs to 117

Vaccine limitations mean Hong Kong cannot be complacent over contagion risks next year, finance minister says

City logs 95 infections on Sunday, while 42-year-old woman becomes third youngest Hongkonger to die from virus

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A worker handles vials for the production of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine. Photo: AP

Published: 12:39pm, 13 Dec 2020Updated: 10:35pm, 13 Dec 2020

Hong Kong’s financial chief has told the city to remain vigilant against the coronavirus threat for the duration of 2021, with Covid-19 vaccines unable to eradicate all infections.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s warning came as Queen Elizabeth Hospital announced on Sunday that a 42-year-old female Covid-19 patient had died the previous evening, bringing the number of deaths in the city related to the virus to 117.

She was the third youngest patient to have died after contracting the disease. Earlier this month, a 38-year-old man became the youngest person to die after being infected.

Finance minister Paul Chan has warned Hongkongers they must be on Covid-19 alert for the whole of 2021. Photo: Winson Wong

Writing on his official blog, Chan said it would take time to buy the vaccine, “make inoculation plans, and start to vaccinate high-risk groups”.

He added: “Also, while the doses can avoid serious symptoms, the vaccine cannot eliminate the risk of infection completely.

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