Coronavirus: Hong Kong shortens deadline to receive booster jabs by 1 month under vaccine pass scheme

Residents aged 12 or above must get a third shot by May 31 instead of the end of June as originally planned to enter various premises

Vaccine pass will remain valid for those who received their second shot in the past six months before the cut-off date

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Under changes made to the vaccine pass scheme, residents aged 12 or above must get a third dose by May 31 to enter several premises. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 9:58pm, 20 Mar 2022Updated: 10:43pm, 20 Mar 2022

Hong Kong is bringing forward the timetable for the third phase of its “vaccine pass” that allows only residents protected against Covid-19 to enter most public places.

Under the latest adjustments announced by the government on Sunday, all people aged 12 or above must get a third shot by May 31, instead of by the end of June as originally planned, unless they received their second jab within the past six months of the deadline.

The vaccine pass will remain valid for residents who received their second shot in the past six months before the cut-off date, but they are required to get a third jab within the six months following their second dose to continue using the pass.

The government said the changes to the scheme, which has been in place since February 24, were introduced to further encourage the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Liberal Party legislator Peter Shiu Ka-fai, who represents the wholesale and retail sector, urged authorities to make sure its vaccination centres had the capacity to deal with a possible surge in demand for booster shots.

The government’s ‘Leave Home Safe’ app displays vaccination records. Photo: Bloomberg

Under the programme, residents who are not fully vaccinated are barred from entering a series of designated premises including restaurants, barber shops, markets, supermarkets and shopping malls after the deadline.