(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said the Government will step up efforts to expand the vaccine bubble by imposing stringent requirements on citizens who enter prescribed premises or join certain activities.

She made the statement ahead of the Executive Council meeting this morning and stressed that it is vitally important for the Government to increase Hong Kong’s vaccination rate, especially among seniors, given the current pandemic situation.

“There is no doubt that vaccination remains the most effective way in order to tackle the virus including Omicron.

“Unfortunately in Hong Kong, we have been doing vaccination for almost a year - we started it in February last year, so it is almost one year - and our vaccination rate still lags behind places in our vicinity - in the Mainland, Singapore and other places.

“We really need to jack up the vaccination rate, especially amongst the elderly. They have been very co-operative. We are seeing their rates coming up, but still it has not yet reached a stage that we feel safe.

“So we are finding and exploring all ways to enhance the creation of all these vaccine bubbles, in other words, to impose vaccination as a requirement for entry into the prescribed premises or joining certain activities.”

Mrs Lam added that while the possibility of drastically relaxing social distancing measures when they expire on February 4 is very slim, relevant bureaus and departments are assessing whether a slight relaxation is advisable.

The Chief Executive will announce such a decision later this week.