Coronavirus: up to 50,000 unvaccinated children in Hong Kong could be banned from restaurants and other premises as vaccine pass scheme extended
- About 88 per cent of children aged five to 11 have had at least one dose of vaccine, which meets the new standard
- But 12 per cent, or 50,000 children, had still to get a jab by Tuesday; Health Bureau appeals to parents to get them vaccinated
About 50,000 unvaccinated youngsters in Hong Kong could be banned from entering premises such as restaurants, libraries and sports venues from Friday, when the vaccine pass scheme will be extended to children as young as five.
The revelation came three days ahead of the new policy coming into force, as city leader John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents and local businesses to be patient over any further reopening to the world in terms of quarantine policies.
“If we can put the [possible] rebound under control, we hope to allow more space for activities [to be resumed] gradually according to the actual circumstances,” he told a Tuesday press conference before the Executive Council meeting, a day after the city moved to a “0+3” quarantine-free regime where overseas arrivals only need to observe three days of medical surveillance.
Lee added that increasing vaccination coverage in the elderly and children was key to reopening the city’s borders with the world.