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HONG KONG – The Hong Kong pandemic, which showed signs of relief only more than a week ago, has recovered, and concerned officials extend the measures for another two weeks and urge the public to get vaccinated when their turn comes.
The Center for Health Protection said on Monday (March 1) that Hong Kong recorded 14 confirmed cases of Covid-19, of which 11 were local and five had no known sources of transmission.
The count has crossed the 11,000 mark, and the death toll has risen to 200 since the pandemic began last year.
Undersecretary of Food and Health Chui Tak Yi said on Monday that the existing measures will be extended for another two weeks until March 17. These include public gatherings of no more than four people and dinners until 10 pm. Beauty salons and gyms, which recently reopened, may remain open.
Food and Health Secretary Sophia Chan expressed her concern about the growing group at the K11 Musea shopping center in Tsim Sha Tsui, without reaching for toughening measures.
The K11 Musea group has risen to more than 40 infections and the mall has been closed until Friday to disinfect and test staff, the first time a Hong Kong owner has done so due to the coronavirus.
In her update on the city’s vaccination program on Monday, Professor Chan also said authorities will investigate the case of an elderly man who had side effects after receiving the Sinovac vaccine.
The 72-year-old man, with a history of hypertension, developed palpitations on Saturday half an hour after the puncture and was sent to the hospital. It is in stable condition.
“I must emphasize again that a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine can provide a certain degree of protection against infection and minimize the damage to health caused by the virus,” said Professor Chan.
Also at the brief briefing was Civil Service Secretary Patrick Nip, who oversees the implementation of the city’s free and voluntary vaccination.
He said more than 20,000 people have been beaten by Sinovac since the inoculation began on February 26.
The Health Department will distribute 63,000 doses of the first batch of 270,000 Sinovac vaccines to 830 private doctors and clinics over three days starting Monday, he added.
Online dating reopened Monday for high-priority groups to book appointments for Sinovac jabs.
As for the BioNTech vaccines that landed in the city on Saturday, these will be available from March 10 with registrations to begin on Wednesday. The government will open more than 140,000 places in seven community vaccination centers for reserves.
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