Explainer | Hong Kong Covid-19 vaccination exemptions row: how did we get here and where will it end?
- Health chief’s move to annul more than 20,000 vaccination exemptions has become a legal row
- Government’s amendment to law may not be end of issue as former civil servant plans wider review
Hong Kong authorities’ move to annul more than 20,000 vaccination exemptions issued by seven doctors who were arrested or wanted by police for allegedly issuing the documents without conducting proper consultations has snowballed into a legal row, with more battles looming.
Here’s what you need to know about the vaccination exemption saga:
1. How did the vaccination exemption saga start?
The Covid-19 vaccine pass scheme was rolled out in February as part of the government’s efforts to boost the city’s vaccination rate, requiring Hongkongers aged over 12 to complete courses of vaccine to enter a number of premises including restaurants, nightclubs, gyms and beauty parlours.
Individuals who are medically unfit for vaccination can obtain an exemption certificate from doctors, who are required to conduct clinical judgments based on the Department of Health’s guidelines and the code of professional conduct before issuing the documents.
According to the patients’ clinical conditions, doctors can determine the validity period of the exemption ranging from 90 to 180 days.
But police arrested six medical practitioners last month for allegedly issuing the documents without conducting proper consultations. Two of them have been charged, while a seventh one has been wanted by the force since March.
At least 26 patients, including five government employees, who allegedly bought the documents, have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.