Coronavirus: findings of inquiry into Hong Kong’s BioNTech vaccine packaging defects could come next week, minister says

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip also says he personally called the senior management of distribution agent Fosun Pharma asking them to ship a new batch of the vaccines if there were safety concerns with the existing ones

Upon resumption of the scheme, priority will be given to those who are due for their second jab, he adds

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A sign informs residents that vaccinations using BioNTech jabs have been suspended. Photo: May Tse

Published: 11:11am, 27 Mar 2021Updated: 7:02pm, 28 Mar 2021

The preliminary findings of an investigation into packaging defects in Hong Kong’s supply of BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines could be ready as soon as next week, with the use of the jabs – currently suspended – set to resume if no widespread problems were found, a top official said on Saturday.

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, who is overseeing the city’s Covid-19 inoculation drive, also revealed he had personally called the senior management of the mainland distribution agent, Fosun Pharma, asking them to ship a new batch of the vaccines to Hong Kong if there were safety concerns with the existing ones.

“We hope those who need their booster jab can get their shots before mid-April,” Nip told a radio programme. “We will prioritise those who need the second dose when we assign the new time slots and venues, once the vaccinations with BioNTech are resumed.”

Nip’s remarks came as some of the first recipients of the jab – including government pandemic adviser Yuen Kwok-yung and other medical staff – were supposed to get their booster shot 21 days after receiving their initial dose on March 6. But with the BioNTech injections still suspended, those appointments have been cancelled.

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip. Photo: May Tse

“As long as you can get a second dose within 42 days, or even a short time after 42 days, it will be fine. There’s still some time,” Yuen told reporters on Saturday.