Coronavirus: ‘panicking’ Hong Kong parents rush to book Covid-19 shots for children as young as 3 years
- Family doctors and paediatric experts report sharp rise in vaccination appointments among toddlers as parents ‘panic’ after death of preliminary-positive four-year-old
- Authorities lower inoculation age for mainland Chinese-made Sinovac jabs from five to three years old, as of Tuesday
Covid-19 vaccinations for children have risen sharply amid Hong Kong’s worsening fifth wave of coronavirus cases, with bookings boosted by an earlier government decision to lower the eligibility age for Sinovac shots to three years from Tuesday.
Family doctors and paediatric experts have reported a surge in vaccinations for children, with one medical professional suggesting the recent coronavirus-related death of a four-year-old boy could have been a contributing factor.
Paediatrician Dr Alvin Chan Yee-shing, co-chairman of the Medical Association’s advisory committee on communicable diseases, said parents had gone into “panic” mode.
He said the number of parents inquiring about vaccinations for their children had risen rapidly over the past several days, while bookings were almost full until early next month.
But Chan said some parents still had concerns about any potential side effects from the vaccines and had mentioned them during their inquiries.
“They ask questions before inoculations, like whether it matters if their child has a history of allergies or chronic illnesses,” he said.
Authorities announced on Sunday that the inoculation age for the mainland Chinese-made Sinovac jab would be lowered from five to three years as of Tuesday, while children aged five to 11 will be able to receive the German-produced BioNTech vaccine.