The scientific committees under the Centre for Health Protection recommend a booster dose to be given to five high-risk priority groups at least six months after the last dose or COVID-19 infection, whichever is later.

The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging & Zoonotic Diseases today updated the consensus interim recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in the city.

The five high-risk priority groups cover adults aged 50 or above, including those living in residential care homes, people aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities, people with immunocompromising conditions aged six months and above, pregnant women and healthcare workers.

Regardless of the number of doses received previously, these groups should receive a booster dose as recommended by the joint scientific committees, before a possible COVID-19 winter surge in the upcoming months.

The experts also highly recommended members of the public, especially those high-risk individuals, to receive COVID-19 vaccination and seasonal influenza vaccination at the same time as soon as possible, to guard against the possible COVID-19 upsurge and flu season which may appear simultaneously.

Furthermore, the experts recommended that any available vaccines should be used before the possible winter surge since they continue to provide benefit against severe disease. In this connection, the Centre for Health Protection urges citizens, in particular high-risk groups, to receive the COVID-19 jab as early as possible.

Click here for details of the recommendations.