The Food & Health Bureau today strongly refuted a media report that linked the relaxation of social distancing measures by the Government based on the vaccine bubble with the social credit system in the Mainland.

In a statement, the bureau said there is no correlation between the Government’s measures and the social credit system, and it expressed deep regret over such misrepresentation of facts in the report.

The statement noted that the relaxation of social distancing measures announced by the Government on April 27 was based on the enhanced anti-epidemic capability in Hong Kong and the steady progress of the Government's vaccination programme.

In adjusting the measures, the Government has taken into account the relevant risks of infection, and the decision was supported with public health justifications in response to the aspirations of various trades and the public to resume normal daily lives as soon as possible, it added.

Hong Kong is also gradually building a protection and immunity barrier against the epidemic upon the increasing vaccination uptake.

The bureau said that the biased remarks in the report deliberately mislead members of the public and are unfavourable at a time when the city is joining hands in fighting the epidemic.