But he stopped short of suggesting authorities would make jabs mandatory for all, saying only that the government would continue to monitor the situation.

Under the city’s current rules, people in certain categories, such as civil servants, airport workers and school staff, are required to either be vaccinated or pay out of their own pocket for regular testing.

While those steps may never be applied to all residents, Nip said he would not rule out imposing restrictions that would prevent the unvaccinated from entering public premises.

The minister’s warning came as Hong Kong confirmed seven new imported infections – involving arrivals from Britain, Turkey and the Philippines – bringing the city’s tally to 12,107 cases, with 212 related deaths.

Nip said authorities would continue to encourage residents to get vaccinated by providing more information and “reasoning” with them, with a particular focus on the elderly.

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In a milestone for Hong Kong’s jabs campaign, 50 per cent of the eligible population – 6.7 million out of the city’s about 7.5 million people – had received a second Covid-19 shot as of Sunday.

While 60 per cent of the eligible population has had at least one jab, the rate among those aged 70 to 79 is just 34 per cent, and only 11 per cent for those 80 and above.

Singapore in contrast on Sunday revealed it had outpaced most advanced economies by reaching an 80 per cent vaccination rate, allowing the city state of 5.7 million to move forward with its plan to gradually reopen, including permitting quarantine-free travel.

Nip said Hong Kong was making a concerted effort to increase access to jabs for the elderly, allowing them to skip online booking and simply walk into vaccination centres.

Medical professionals had also been made available at community elderly centres and shopping malls to help answer any remaining questions they might have about the vaccines, he added.

Some vaccination centres would also remain open after the October deadline for closure, Nip said, although the government was considering cutting the number of facilities and shortening opening hours, as it was hoped more people would have got the Covid-19 shots by then.

Among the new cases on Sunday was a 68-year-old man carrying the L452R mutant strain, which has been linked to the more infectious Delta variant.

He had been in Britain from August 15 until Wednesday, and subsequently tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday while he was in a quarantine hotel. His case prompted authorities on Saturday to issue a compulsory testing notice for people who had visited several shops in Discovery Bay including an Italian restaurant and a McDonald’s fast-food outlet, as well as the Sunrise housing block in his neighbourhood.

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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said it was also investigating the infection of a 29-year-old woman who was fully vaccinated with the BioNTech jab but tested positive for Covid-19 in Portugal in early August before her return to Hong Kong on August 19.

She tested negative before her return, but compulsory screening on Friday after her quarantine period ended produced a positive result. Authorities said she was likely to be a re-positive case.

Compulsory testing notices were issued for her place of residence in Shek O, as well as the Plaza Premium Lounge at the airport and a coffee shop in Happy Valley.

A CHP spokesman said the number of vaccinated non-essential travellers among recent imported cases had jumped, and urged people to avoid unnecessary trips outside Hong Kong as the coronavirus situation remained severe overseas.

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Hong Kong should follow Singapore’s lead and drop ‘zero case’ approach to Covid-19

Hong Kong should follow Singapore’s lead and drop ‘zero case’ approach to Covid-19

Separately, the Department of Health placed temporary bans on two flights, operated by Philippine Airlines and Turkish Airlines, from August 29 to September 11.

Both flights landed in Hong Kong on Friday, from Manila and Istanbul respectively, carrying three passengers with coronavirus infections detected by on-arrival testing, triggering the ban.

In another development, police are investigating the operators of two ships, Asia Energy and Thor Monadic, for reportedly providing false information to health authorities during the application for free pratique, or permission for a vessel to enter the port.

Fifteen infections were reported on Friday from the Thor Monadic, a cargo ship which arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday from Indonesia.