Starting from November 9, the four Children Community Vaccination Centres (CCVCs) will provide vaccination service to children aged between 6 months and 4 years with the toddler formulation of the BioNTech vaccine. Parents and guardians can make bookings for their children from 9am tomorrow (November 6) at the booking system on the designated website of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk).
 
     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, "The Government has lowered the minimum age for receiving the Sinovac vaccine to 6 months old since August 4. Following the arrival of the toddler formulation of the BioNTech vaccine, the minimum age for receiving the BioNTech vaccine has been lowered to 6 months old to provide one more option to parents. Children have weaker resistance to diseases and they can fall into severe condition should they get infected with the COVID-19 virus. They may also develop medium and long-term after-effects after recovery. Vaccination can reduce the risks of serious illness and death and I appeal to parents to act fast and place COVID-19 vaccination bookings for their children for the sake of their health."
 
     As the toddler and paediatric formulations of the BioNTech vaccine for children require a special dilution procedure, children aged below 12 have to receive the BioNTech vaccine at the four CCVCs at present. There is no same-day ticket arrangement at the CCVCs and parents have to make prior bookings online. The four CCVCs are:
 
Hong Kong Children's Hospital CCVC
Address: G/F, Clinical Tower (Tower B), Hong Kong Children's Hospital, 1 Shing Cheong Road, Kowloon Bay
 
HKU CCVC at Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong (on Tuesdays and Sundays)
Address: 1 Nam Fung Path, Wong Chuk Hang
 
CUHK Medical Centre (on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
Address: 9 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin
 
Osman Ramju Sadick Memorial Sports Centre
Address: 176 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung
 
     For children aged 6 months to 4 years, there should be a time interval of eight weeks between their first two doses of the BioNTech vaccine. The dosing interval can be shortened to a minimum of three weeks for those with personal needs under informed consent after consideration of individual risk and benefit. And there should be a three-month interval between the second and third doses.
      
     The Government will continue to provide schools with special booking and transportation services. Schools can approach the relevant Regional Education Office for detailed information.
 
Things to note for vaccination
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     The consent form for parents can be downloaded from the designated website of the Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/pdf/Consent_Form_for_Fractional_BioNTech_Vaccination_ENG.pdf). Apart from the consent form, children aged 3 to 11 have to be accompanied by an adult family member, a domestic helper or a school teacher to receive vaccination; children aged below 3 have to be accompanied by their parents/guardians in person when receiving vaccination.
 
     Persons have to bring along the original identity documents on the date of vaccination. If the identity documents do not bear the child's photo, such as the birth certificate, for children already attending a school, they have to present school documents (such as school handbooks) bearing a photo of the student at the time of vaccination.

Ends/Saturday, November 5, 2022
Issued at HKT 9:00

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