Explainer | Why has Hong Kong’s coronavirus vaccination drive stumbled recently, and should you be worried about possible side effects?
- With no-shows for injections on the rise, the Post looks at the known risks as well as the guidelines for who should and shouldn’t be signing up for a jab
- Doctor and patient groups have come together to ask the government to provide greater guidance and protections for at-risk groups
The minister handling the mass inoculation programme, civil service chief Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, has conceded that bookings have dipped because of public concerns over people seeking hospital treatment after being vaccinated.
About 72 per cent of people who booked a Sinovac injection on Wednesday turned up for their appointment, compared with 64 per cent on Tuesday and 90 per cent at the scheme’s launch last month. The take-up rate for the BioNTech vaccine, meanwhile, was 91 per cent, with 5,900 people receiving the shot on its first day of availability.
While government officials, including Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, continue to urge residents to stick with the programme, pressure is mounting from doctor and patient groups demanding clearer guidelines on who should take the jab, and greater protection for those prone to vaccine side effects.
For residents unsure if they should be vaccinated, here is the latest advice from the government and local health experts.
Should we be concerned about the side effects after injection?