More kids to receive Covid jab as Hong Kong lowers age eligibility
Hong Kong has announced that children as young as three will be able to receive the Sinovac vaccine from Tuesday amid a spike of infections. The decision comes as the Chinese-ruled territory reported a record 2,071 new cases on Monday.
The age limit was previously set at five years old.
The infection rate is expected to increase further as the Omicron variant takes hold. Overall, about 83% of the population (aged 12 and older) have received two doses of a vaccine, and 74% have got at least one.
Recent statistics also suggest that less than half of the older generations have not yet been vaccinated.
Experts believe that many elderly residents were advised not to get vaccinated due to the side-effects associated with the vaccines in use. Hong Kong had also been relatively Covid-free for months.
The former British colony has imposed harsh restrictions amid a surge in infections as Beijing insists on maintaining its zero-Covid policy despite the challenges presented by the extremely contagious Omicron variant.
