Home jab service starts Apr 21

April 15, 2022

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:

We announced yesterday the first phase (of) relaxation of the social distancing measures which will take place from April 21. 
 
As I said yesterday, we would not be able to please everybody. Some listed premises under Cap 599F (the Prevention & Control of Disease (Requirements & Directions) (Business & Premises) Regulation) still have to be closed during the first phase. 
 
Certainly, we would consider allowing them to resume business in the second or third phase.
 
We really have to monitor, very closely, what will happen after the Easter holiday. 
 
But let me assure those premises which have yet to have a chance to reopen for business. We will take into account their interests because their interests (are) not just their corporation’s interest, but also to bring Hong Kong back to normalcy and also (to secure) the jobs for their employees. 
 
Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip:
 
If you look at the necessity of getting, particularly, the vulnerable groups to get vaccinated, we have already, in the past year, provided multiple channels (and) convenient places to enable persons to get vaccinated, including, at present, 28 community vaccination centres, the 13 Hospital (COVID-19) Vaccination Stations in public hospitals, four mobile vaccination (stations) and more than a thousand private clinics and also the clinics under the Department of Health and Hospital Authority. We (are) also (providing) the outreach vaccination service for residential care homes.

For those elderly and persons with disabilities who wish to get vaccinated but are unable to go to these places, we have to serve them. That is why we have to do this Home Vaccination Service.
 
I am grateful for all the healthcare teams and also all the other organisations and bodies and volunteers (who) joined hands (to) do this, including our medical and nursing students from the tertiary institutions who are going to help us in manning the hotline service starting from next Tuesday.

(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam assured the public that the Government will consider the interests of the businesses which must remain closed during the first stage of the relaxation of social distancing measures that will begin on April 21.

She made the statement at a press conference this morning, following the Government’s announcement yesterday about its plans to ease social distancing rules in phases.

Under the first stage, while some restrictions on catering and scheduled premises will be lifted, places like bars or pubs will have to remain closed.

Mrs Lam said: “Certainly, we would consider allowing them to resume business in the second or third phase.

“We really have to monitor, very closely, what will happen after the Easter holiday.

“But let me assure those premises which have yet to have a chance to reopen for business. We will take into account their interests because their interests are not just their corporations’ interest, but also to bring Hong Kong back to normalcy and also to secure the jobs for their employees.”

Separately, Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip, who also attended the press conference, announced that the Government will launch the Home Vaccination Service next Tuesday with the goal of providing the Sinovac jab door to door.

He pointed out that since the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong, the Government has been offering such services through multiple channels like community vaccination centres, hospital COVID-19 vaccination stations, mobile vaccination stations, public and private clinics and residential care homes.

Mr Nip said: “For those elderly and people with disabilities who wish to get vaccinated but are unable to go to these places, we have to serve them. That is why we have to do this Home Vaccination Service.”

Online and phone registration for the service will start on April 19. While eligible citizens may register by themselves, their family members and friends may also help them to enrol, he added.

“Our goal is to launch the Home Vaccination Service across Hong Kong on April 26.

“We will roll out the service by districts, with four to five districts being served each week, so as to ensure that all eligible service recipients can obtain the service in a timely manner.”

After eligible people are provided with the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, there will be door-to-door administration of the second dose of the Sinovac vaccine 28 days later, the Government added.

For details, call the enquiry hotline at 5688 5234 which will operate from 9am to 8pm daily starting April 19.