Hong Kong residents to receive COVID-19 vaccine in a community vaccination center, February 26, 2021. /CFP
Starting Friday, the COVID-19 inoculation campaign in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has been warmly welcomed by the residents with trust and gratitude.
Five community vaccination centers and 18 general outpatient clinics have started to vaccinate residents in priority groups – residents aged 60 and above, healthcare workers, nursing home staff, public service providers such as street cleaners and taxi drivers, as well as workers in cross-border transport.
In an interview with China Media Group(CMG), residents expressed their appreciation for the Chinese central government, saying the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines enhanced their confidence in the fight against the epidemic.
Pang Ailan, the community vaccination center consultant at the Yuen Wo Road Sports Center, said the center, as the largest of the five centers in Hong Kong, ushered about 1,400 people for the vaccination on Friday.
"Thanks to the support of our country, Hong Kong has the determination to fight the epidemic with the vaccines," said Pang, encouraging residents to take the shots so as to help the community return to normal life.
A resident surnamed Li told the CMG reporter that he waited in line at 7:45 a.m. on Friday, and the injection did not hurt. "I am indescribably happy. Thanks our motherland."
A view of a local community vaccination center /CMG
Residents also showed their confidence in the vaccine's safety.
Ms. Lu told Ming Pao, a local newspaper, that she felt good, comfortable and happy after finally getting the China-developed vaccine. "There is no need to be afraid at all. I am Chinese, of course, I use Chinese products!"
Ms. Guan, who took the jabs together with her mother, said she is confident about the Sinovac vaccine. "HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam and other senior officials have all taken the vaccine. I don't think there is any problem."
"As a person from Hong Kong, China, I believe in our homemade vaccines. China has done the best in the world in fighting the epidemic, so I am full of confidence to take the China-develop vaccine," said a local resident.
Ms. Chen called on more residents to get vaccinated. "I used to be very afraid of injections, but I think everyone should make a little contribution, and then the epidemic will soon pass."
About 70,000 Hong Kong residents had made online bookings for the first and second doses of the Sinovac vaccine as of 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, and all reservations from February 26 to March 11 had already been filled, according to a CMG news report.
The HKSAR government has secured COVID-19 vaccines developed by three providers – Sinovac, Fosun Pharma and BioNTech, the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca.
A batch of one million doses of Fosun Pharma-BioNTech vaccines arrived in Hong Kong on Saturday morning, marking the second shipment of COVID-19 vaccines the city received after a million doses of Sinovac vaccines earlier this month.
An online reservation system of this vaccine will be launched next week for the public, with seven community vaccination centers to be opened first for the vaccination, according to Ming Pao.