Hong Kong will not give non-residents free Covid-19 vaccines, but they can pay for jabs from private sector
- City to stop giving visitors free jabs from next week to make sure it has enough doses for residents as demand for vaccines increases
- Private sector already launching self-funded vaccination programmes to visitors from across border
Non-Hong Kong residents will not be eligible for free Covid-19 jabs from next week, the government has announced, as the private sector rolled out self-funded vaccination programmes for visitors from across the border with mainland China.
Currently, visitors are eligible to receive the first-generation vaccines as a first or second dose for free, if they can complete the full course within their stay. This includes holders of two-way exit permits from the mainland, asylum seekers and other visitors.
They can also take booster jabs for free if they fulfil either one of the conditions – having received a prior jab in Hong Kong or being permitted to stay in the city for over 30 days.
But the eligibility rules would be tightened on Monday, the government announced on Thursday. Non-Hong Kong residents will have to fulfil both conditions to get a free jab.
“It has all along been the … government’s policy objective to ensure a sufficient supply of vaccines for Hong Kong residents under the government vaccination programme,” a spokesman said. “Non-Hong Kong residents may receive Covid-19 vaccines offered by local private doctors, clinics and hospitals at their own cost.”
To receive a free jab, they must be permitted to stay in Hong Kong for more than 30 days, from the day of receiving the dose and have received a prior jab in Hong Kong under the government vaccination programme, or have made an appointment before January 16.
They will only be inoculated when the relevant records have been verified.