Author Archives: hksar gov

     Hongkong Post said today (February 14) that two postmen, two postal officers and a contract staff have tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19.             The tw… read more

     The Department of Health (DH) today (February 14) announced that its five Student Health Service Centres (SHSCs) will expand its COVID-19 vaccination services to provide CoronaVac vaccine (Sinovac vaccine) for children aged three or above starting tomorrow (February 15). Parents/guardians can make appointment for vaccination through the online booking system from tomorrow onwards.

     DH’s five SHSCs (Chai Wan SHSC, Lam Tin SHSC, Sha Tin SHSC, Tuen Mun SHSC and Western SHSC) is currently providing Sinovac vaccine to children/students aged five to 17. The Government earlier approved the eligibility of receiving the Sinovac vaccine to cover individuals aged three and above.

     Starting from tomorrow, DH’s five SHSCs will provide Sinovac vaccine to children/students aged three to 17 from 9am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays). Parents/guardians can book the appointment through online booking system at booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk/forms/index.jsp.

     Children receiving the vaccination have to bring along the original identity documents. If the identity documents do not bear the photo of children as in the case of birth certificate, school documents (such as school handbooks) bearing a photo of the student must be presented at the time of vaccination. They are also required to bring along a consent form signed by their parents on the date of vaccination and must be accompanied by their parents/guardians in person when receiving vaccination. The consent form can be downloaded from the designated website of the Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/pdf/Consent_Form_for_COVID19_Vaccination_ENG.pdf).

     Also, parents/guardians can make reservations for children to receive the Sinovac vaccine at Community Vaccination Centres or designated general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority through the designated website of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk). Parents/guardians can also make an appointment to get the Sinovac vaccination through more than 1 000 private doctors or clinics that participate in the Vaccination Programme. For details, please visit: www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/VSS.

     “An interval of 28 days is required for children to receive the first and the second doses of the Sinovac vaccine, same arrangement as for adults. Before making an appointment, please take note of a minimum interval of 14 days between COVID-19 vaccination and any other vaccination (including seasonal influenza vaccination). Under the threat posed by highly transmissible mutant virus strains, eligible persons, both young and old, should get vaccinated as early as possible for self-protection. Both COVID-19 vaccines available in Hong Kong are safe and highly effective in protecting against severe disease and death from COVID-19 infection,” a spokesman for the DH said. read more

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (February 14) that due to staff working on the same floor tested preliminary positive for COVID-19 earlier, the FEHD’s pay office/shroff office at 42/F, Queensway Government Offices (QGO) will continue to be temporarily closed tomorrow (February 15). The information collection services under Code on Access to Information in relation to the Environmental and Hygiene Branch of the FEHD will also be affected. read more

     The Government announced today (February 14) that it has concluded discussions with the Government of Lesotho to accept vaccination records issued by Lesotho as recognised vaccination records for Hong Kong residents who have stayed in Group A specified places under the mechanism. The relevant arrangements will take effect at 0.00am on February 16 (Wednesday).
 
     Lesotho is currently a Group A specified place. From 0.00am on February 16, Hong Kong residents who hold a vaccination record issued by Lesotho’s relevant authorities in the prescribed format can board a flight for Hong Kong from Group A specified places. The vaccines administered for the relevant travellers have to be vaccines listed on the Government’s List of COVID-19 Vaccines Recognised for Specified Purposes.
 
     The Government has implemented stringent inbound prevention and control measures for travellers arriving at Hong Kong from overseas places. Travellers who have stayed in Group A specified places can only board a flight for Hong Kong if they are Hong Kong residents who are fully vaccinated and hold recognised vaccination records. Recognised vaccination records include (a) vaccination records issued by Hong Kong, (b) vaccination records or certifications issued by Mainland or Macao authorities or an institution recognised by Mainland or Macao authorities, (c) vaccination records or certifications issued by an authority or recognised institution of a country where its national regulatory authority is designated by the World Health Organization as a stringent regulatory authority, (d) vaccination records or certifications issued by a relevant authority or recognised institution of a country with which Hong Kong has reached a recognition agreement arrangement with its government, or (e) vaccination records issued by an organisation with which Hong Kong has reached a recognition agreement arrangement.
 
     The list of places or organisations that are accepted for issuing recognised vaccination records is set out in the Annex, and will be uploaded to the Government’s COVID-19 thematic website.
 
     The Government will continue to discuss with other places on the arrangements for the recognition of vaccination records, and will update the list as recognition arrangements are agreed with these places. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (February 14), a total of over 3 600 patients who are suspected or tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus are currently treated or isolated in North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, the Hospital Authority (HA) Infectious Disease Centre, the Community Treatment Facility at Asia World-Expo, the Community Isolation Facility in Penny’s Bay and public hospitals, including eight critical confirmed patients (case numbers: 14814, 17506, 17550, 17867, 18489, 18975, 20463 and 23380). 
      
     The number of confirmed cases increased sharply in the last few days. The HA is still preparing the information of confirmed patients and discharged patients. There were about 280 patients discharged last Saturday (February 12) and around 300 patients discharged yesterday (February 13).
      
     A 77-year-old male patient was admitted to medical surveillance ward in Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on February 12 evening due to shortness of breath. He tested preliminarily positive. His condition continued to deteriorate and he eventually succumbed at 4.50am yesterday morning.
      
     In addition, an 82-year-old male patient was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on February 13 due to fever. He tested preliminarily positive. His condition continued to deteriorate and he eventually succumbed at 2.27am this morning.  
      
     Including these two patients, 210 COVID-19 confirmed patients and five preliminarily confirmed patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.

     â€‹The HA will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.
     

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