Defects in Hong Kong batch of BioNTech coronavirus vaccine may be down to sealing process, says health chief, who assures public there were no safety risks
- Health chief Dr Constance Chan says initial investigation at German manufacturer suggests crimping of vials lay behind issue
- Vaccinations using German-made shot to resume on Monday after 12-day suspension
Problems in the sealing process of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine vial caps may have caused the defects in existing batches of the German-made jabs delivered to Hong Kong, the city’s health director has revealed.
The remaining vials would be kept in ultra-cold storage until the manufacturer completed its full investigation, Director of Health Dr Constance Chan Hon-yee said at a press conference on Thursday, and assured the public no safety risks had been uncovered.
Chan said the cause of the defects was because of the crimping of the vials, a process by which pressure is applied to the aluminium ring that fixes a plastic stopper, while ultra-cold storage conditions also played a role.
The investigation conducted by BioNTech found that there were problems in the crimping process at the German site that provided batch 210102 and 210104, Chan added.
03:27
Hong Kong suspends BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines ‘as precaution’ over defective packaging
Distribution of the vaccine was abruptly paused last Wednesday on the advice of its supplier after the scheme’s frontline staff reported more than 50 instances of defective vials, including cracks, leaks and stains on their exterior. Hong Kong has so far received 1.343 million doses of the BioNTech vaccine for its inoculation programme.