Elderly Hongkongers can apply for Covid XBB jabs starting on Wednesday, new batch to arrive ‘soon’
- Elderly residents can go to community vaccination stations run by private clinics or designated general outpatient clinics under Hospital Authority
- First batch of XBB-targeted vaccines from BioNTech and Pfizer arrived in November, with fresh order from Moderna expected to arrive soon
Hongkongers aged 65 or older can start booking appointments for the Covid-19 vaccine targeting the XBB variant from Wednesday, while a fresh batch of jabs from another brand is expected to arrive “soon”, health authorities have said.
The announcement on Tuesday followed recommendations made by the government’s medical advisers, who said in October that the XBB-targeted mRNA vaccines could provide better protection than earlier shots and high-risk groups should be prioritised.
Starting from Wednesday 9am, elderly residents can secure a slot for the XBB vaccine through the government’s online booking system for Thursday onwards.
They can go to community vaccination stations run by private clinics or designated general outpatient clinics under the Hospital Authority.
Designated specialist outpatient clinics and Elderly Health Centres in the public sector will also start providing the XBB vaccine from Thursday.
Residents staying in care homes for the elderly and people with disabilities will also be offered vaccinations through outreach services under the government programme.
Residents in high-risk groups can receive an additional Covid-19 vaccine booster for free if it has been at least six months since their last vaccination or recovery from Covid-19 infection.
