The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
Photographer: Oliver Bunic / Bloomberg
Photographer: Oliver Bunic / Bloomberg
Hong Kong is ready to issue an emergency permit for the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE coronavirus vaccine, South China Morning Post statement, citing an unknown government source.
The motion would mark the first approval for any Covid-19 vaccine in the city, and clarify the way to start inoculations as the city seeks to stop our -out winter. The vaccine could be approved by the government this week, the SCMP report said.
Permission for the Pfizer-BioNTech image is likely to ease residents who have seen places like mainland China and Singapore start vaccinating drivers earlier. Although Hong Kong’s coronavirus cases have not risen significantly compared to global cities such as London and New York, there are strict rules on social distance such as closure schools and some businesses are in place.
Hong Kong leaders ‘Not in a Hurry’ to roll out Covid-19 vaccines
The former British colony announced on December 11 that it plans to purchase 7.5 million doses of the mRNA vaccine, which data shows a 95% level of protection against Covid-19. Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co. rights from German-based BioNTech in March to develop and market the mRNA bullet across mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
The city is expected to get some of the sights in February, government advisers earlier said told Bloomberg.
An Asian financial hub has bought plenty of doses – including from Sinovac Biotech Limited and AstraZeneca Plc – to cover its 7.5 million inhabitants, and plans to give people a choice about what vaccine to take.
Councilors to the Hong Kong government saying distribution is slower without warning. That position – shared by many Asia-Pacific economies – they may look strange as soon as normal lives are restored, but low disease rates mean that Asian governments will be able to wait to see how the vaccination campaigns unique play out elsewhere.