About the Programme
Programme Overview
To safeguard public health and to allow the resuming of normal activities of society gradually, the Government is implementing a territory-wide COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (the “Government Programme”) free of charge for eligible persons.
Enquiry Hotline: 3142 2366
If citizens are not allowed to receive vaccination due to the venue’s visitor infection prevention measures, they are advised to defer the vaccination.
Venues
The Government provides vaccination service to the public at the following venues:
- Community Vaccination Centres (CVC) (Booking is required)
The Government sets up CVCs in Hong Kong providing vaccination service to the public, including BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine/bivalent vaccine for persons aged 12 or above and Sinovac vaccine for persons aged 6 months or above.
Eligible members of the public can select the vaccine to be inoculated, and reserve the time and place of their vaccinations through the 24-hour online booking system. A maximum of two carers who accompany elderly people aged 70 or above can also receive vaccination and make the booking at the same time for their first and second doses. If necessary, people can seek assistance for making online bookings from post offices or the estate management offices of the public housing estates they reside.
Opening Hours (Including Public Holidays):
- 10 am to 6 pm daily.
- The HKU Community Vaccination Centre at Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong provides eligible persons aged 12 or above with vaccination service of the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine/bivalent vaccine from 10 am to 6 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
- Last vaccination: 30 minutes before the end of opening hours.
- Close between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm for cleaning.
- When Black Rainstorm Warning / Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 or above is in force, vaccination service in CVCs will be suspended. Please click here to read the relevant FAQs for more information on the inclement weather arrangements of vaccination centres.
Documents to bring:
- Identity document (Parents/guardians are required to present the original copy of their children’s birth certificate on the date of vaccination of the children. In the event that the identity document of a student aged 3 to 11 years does not contain any photograph of the student, such as a birth certificate, the student has to present his/her school document (such as a school handbook), which has the student’s photograph, to receive vaccination.) Should the identity document of the child does not bear a photo and the child does not have student's handbook or other identity document with photo, discretion will be exercised to verify the identity of the child by other means in light of the circumstances.
- Consent form signed by parents / guardians (applicable to persons aged below 18 / mentally incapacitated vaccine recipients) [click here to download sample consent form]
- Apart from the consent form, children aged 3 to 11 years have to be accompanied by an adult family member or a domestic helper to receive vaccination; children aged below 3 years have to be accompanied by their parents/guardians in person when receiving vaccination.
- SMS message or photocopy of booking confirmation
To provide the eligible persons aged 12 or above with the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine/bivalent vaccine and to provide the eligible persons aged 6 months or above with the Sinovac vaccination service.
Eligible members of the public can reserve the time and place of their vaccinations through the 24-hour online booking system. A maximum of two carers who accompany elderly people aged 70 or above can also receive vaccination and make the booking at the same time for their first and second doses. If necessary, people can seek assistance for making online bookings from post offices or the estate management offices of the public housing estates they reside.
Opening Hours (Including Public Holidays):
- 10 am to 6 pm daily.
- Last vaccination: 30 minutes before the end of opening hours.
- Close between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm for cleaning.
- When Black Rainstorm Warning / Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 or above is in force, vaccination service will be suspended. Please click here to read the relevant FAQs for more information on the inclement weather arrangements.
Documents to bring:
- Identity document (In the event that the identity document of a student does not contain any photograph of the student, such as a birth certificate, the student has to present his/her school document (such as a school handbook), which has the student’s photograph, to receive vaccination.) Should the identity document of the child does not bear a photo and the child does not have student's handbook or other identity document with photo, discretion will be exercised to verify the identity of the child by other means in light of the circumstances.
- Consent form signed by parents / guardians (applicable to persons aged below 18 / mentally incapacitated vaccine recipients) [click here to download sample consent form]
- Apart from the consent form, children aged 3 to 11 years have to be accompanied by an adult family member or a domestic helper to receive vaccination; children aged below 3 years have to be accompanied by their parents/guardians in person when receiving vaccination.
- SMS message or photocopy of booking confirmation
* Walk-in vaccination service (small amount of daily quota)
- For eligible persons aged below 18 years and 60 years or above.
- Eligible persons can receive walk-in vaccination service at the CVS on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Accompanying persons will not be arranged to receive vaccination together and separate vaccination appointments are required. Remarks: For persons who cannot make online bookings as the system does not support some special scenarios, they can go to the CVSs and the staff will reserve small amount of daily quota for their vaccination.
1B. Private Clinic COVID-19 Vaccination Stations (PCVSs)
Watch the video on Vaccination at CVCStarting from 1 September 2022, PCVSs provide the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine/bivalent vaccine for persons aged 12 or above and Sinovac vaccine for persons aged 6 months or above. Eligible persons can select the vaccine to be inoculated, and reserve the time and place of their vaccinations through the 24-hour online booking system.
Opening Hours:
- Please refer to the opening hours shown in the list of PCVSs.
- When Black Rainstorm Warning / Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 or above is in force, vaccination service in PCVSs will be suspended. Please click here to read the relevant FAQs for more information on the inclement weather arrangements of PCVSs.
Documents to bring:
- Identity document (Parents/guardians are required to present the original copy of their children’s birth certificate on the date of vaccination of the children. In the event that the identity document of a student does not contain any photograph of the student, such as a birth certificate, the student has to present his/her school document (such as a school handbook), which has the student’s photograph, to receive vaccination.) Should the identity document of the child does not bear a photo and the child does not have student's handbook or other identity document with photo, discretion will be exercised to verify the identity of the child by other means in light of the circumstances.
- Consent form signed by parents / guardians (applicable to persons aged below 18 / mentally incapacitated vaccine recipients) [click here to download consent form]
- Apart from the consent form, children aged 3 to 11 years have to be accompanied by an adult family member or a domestic helper to receive vaccination; children aged below 3 years have to be accompanied by their parents/guardians in person when receiving vaccination.
- SMS message or photocopy of booking confirmation
Walk-in vaccination service (small amount of daily quota)
- For eligible persons aged below 18 years and 60 years or above.
- For persons who cannot make online bookings as the system does not support some special scenarios
- Children Community Vaccination Centres (CCVC)
The Government sets up CCVCs for children aged 6 months to 11 to receive the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine. Apart from the CCVCs, Yan Chai Hospital COVID-19 Vaccination Station and designated clinics of the Department of Health, children aged below 12 cannot receive BioNTech vaccine at other venues. The CCVC at Hong Kong Children's Hospital also provides vaccination service to children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years with the Sinovac vaccine.
Parents/guardians can make reservations for children aged 6 months to 11 to receive vaccinations at the CCVCs through the 24-hour online booking system. If necessary, people can seek assistance for making online bookings from any post offices (except mobile post offices) or the estate management offices of the public housing estates they reside.
Opening Hours (Including Public Holidays) and age groups for vaccination service:
- HKU Children Community Vaccination Centre at Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong
- Children Community Vaccination Centre at CUHK Medical Centre
- Children Community Vaccination Centre at Hong Kong Children’s Hospital
- Yan Chai Hospital COVID-19 Vaccination Station
Tuesdays and Sundays (10 am to 6 pm): age of 6 months to 4
Saturdays (10 am to 6 pm): age of 5 to 11
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (10 am to 6 pm): age of 6 months to 4
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (10 am to 6 pm): age of 5 to 11
BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine
10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m (daily): age of 6 months to 4
2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m (daily): age of 5 to 11
Sinovac vaccine
10 a.m. to 6 p.m (daily): age of 6 months to 17
Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays)
10 am to 1:30 p.m: age of 6 months to 4
2:30 pm to 6 pm: age of 5 to 11
- Last vaccination: 30 minutes before the end of opening hours.
- Close between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm for cleaning (except Yan Chai Hospital COVID-19 Vaccination Station).
- When Black Rainstorm Warning / Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 or above is in force, vaccination service in CCVCs will be suspended. Please click here to read the relevant FAQs for more information on the inclement weather arrangements of vaccination centres.
Documents to bring:
- Identity document (Parents/guardians are required to present the original copy of their children’s birth certificate on the date of vaccination of the children. In the event that the identity document of a student aged 3 to 11 years does not contain any photograph of the student, such as a birth certificate, the student has to present his/her school document (such as a student handbook), which has the student’s photograph, to receive vaccination.) Should the identity document of the child does not bear a photo and the child does not have student's handbook or other identity document with photo, discretion will be exercised to verify the identity of the child by other means in light of the circumstances.
- Consent form signed by parents / guardians [To receive Sinovac vaccine please click here to download sample consent form] [To receive 3-microgram or 10-microgram dose of BioNTech vaccine please click here to download sample consent form]
- Apart from the consent form, children aged 3 to 11 years have to be accompanied by an adult family member or a domestic helper to receive vaccination; children aged below 3 years have to be accompanied by their parents/guardians in person when receiving vaccination.
- SMS message or photocopy of booking confirmation Remarks: For eligible children who cannot make online bookings as the system does not support some special scenarios, they can bring along the completed consent forms and be accompanied by an adult to go to the CCVCs. CCVC staff will reserve small amount of daily quota for their vaccination.
- Designated general outpatient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority
List of GOPCs providing COVID-19 vaccination (booking is required)
- Designated private clinics
Members of the public can choose a private doctor or clinic under the Government Programme, and make an appointment for Sinovac vaccination or BioNTech vaccination directly with the private doctor or clinic.
List of Private Clinics Providing Sinovac Vaccination
List of Private Clinics Providing BioNTech Vaccination
Also, organisers (organisations, companies, schools, etc) can arrange vaccination activities at non-clinic setting, please contact doctors directly for details.
- Residential care homes and nursing homes
Outreach vaccination service or vaccination by visiting medical officers to be provided.
List of Visiting Medical Officers
Vaccination regimen for the Sinovac vaccine or BioNTech bivalent vaccine for residents of Residential Care Homes (RCHs), including RCHs for Elderly and Persons with Disability, has been updated recently. For details please refer to the infographics: https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/pdf/Latest_COVID19_vaccination_arrangement_EN.pdf
Vaccination arrangement for the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine for residents, and vaccination arrangement for RCH staff would remain the same.
Visiting health teams will still access those RCHs with infected cases to provide COVID-19 vaccination to non-infected or recovered residents in RCHs.
- Designated clinics of the Department of Health (DH)
DH will provide the Sinovac vaccine to patients or citizens receiving services at DH's designated clinics, including Elderly Health Centres, Maternal and Child Health Centres, Chest Clinics, Social Hygiene Clinics, Dermatological Clinics, Education and Training Centres in Family Medicine and Integrated Treatment Centres, etc. Booking for vaccination services at the aforementioned clinics is not opened to the public.
To further encourage and facilitate the elderly to receive COVID-19 vaccines, 14 Elderly Health Centres (EHCs) will continue to provide walk-in Sinovac(CoronaVac) vaccination service to elderly people aged 65 or above from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm (except public holidays). Elderly persons need to present their Hong Kong identity cards for registration on a first-come, first-served basis until the daily quota is full. If the daily quota is full, the staff of the centre will arrange another date and time of vaccination for the elderly. COVID-19 Sinovac(CoronaVac) vaccination walk-in service will continue to be provided at 18 EHCs for their members without prior booking. For any enquiries, please contact the respective Elderly Health Centre.
Health advice on COVID-19 vaccines will be offered when expectant mothers visit the Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) for their routine antenatal checks and arrangements will be made upon their decision. If a pregnant woman chooses CoronaVac, MCHC staff will provide the vaccination on the spot. Sinovac(CoronaVac) vaccination service will be provided to children aged between 6 months and 4 years during the booked appointment for child health services at MCHCs.In addition, 5 designated MCHCs under DH, namely Sai Wan Ho MCHC, Tang Chi Ngong MCHC, Lam Tin MCHC, Ma On Shan MCHC and Tsing Yi MCHC will provide booked vaccination service to children aged between 6 months and 4 years with the toddler formulation of the BioNTech vaccine. The five current designated MCHCs, namely Sai Wan Ho MCHC, Tang Chi Ngong MCHC, Lam Tin MCHC, Ma On Shan MCHC and Yan Oi MCHC will also provide the booked Sinovac(CoronaVac) vaccination service to children aged between 6 months and 4 years. Parents/guardians can book the appointment through the online booking system. For more information, please visit the website of Family Health Service.
Starting from 6 December 2022, five designated Student Health Service Centres (SHSCs) of the Department of Health (Chai Wan SHSC, Lam Tin SHSC, Sha Tin SHSC, Tuen Mun SHSC and Western SHSC) have the following adjustment in COVID-19 vaccination services:
Parents/guardians can book the appointment through online booking system. Please click here for the relevant press release. For details, you may visit the website of Student Health Service Centres.
Monday, Thursday, Friday (except public holidays): Provision of Sinovac vaccines for children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years
Tuesday, Wednesday (except public holidays): Provision of BioNTech (paediatric formulation) vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 years - Hospital COVID-19 Vaccination Stations
COVID-19 Vaccination Stations have been set up in several public hospitals to enable patients visiting the hospital for follow-up appointments and visitors, in particular patients of specialist out-patient clinics, to opt for the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccine/bivalent vaccine or the Sinovac vaccine without prior booking when they have their follow-up medical consultation.
Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm (Mon – Fri)(except public holidays), with no lunch break. Last vaccination is at 30 minutes before the closing time.
- Home Vaccination Services
In order to promote and facilitate the vaccination of elderlies aged 70 or above or persons with disabilities or chronic diseases who are incapable of going out to receive vaccination, the Government has launched the Home Vaccination Services covering all 18 districts. The designated COVID-19 vaccines under this programme are Sinovac, BioNTech/Fosun [Comirnaty] and BioNTech/Fosun [Comirnaty Bivalent].
For details, please visit the Home Vaccination Services website.
- Outreach vaccination service
The Government called on related enterprises and organisations from various sectors and trades to encourage their employees to get vaccinated. In addition to the CVCs, should the related enterprises and organisations have a sufficient number of employees who would like to receive vaccination and a suitable venue with sufficient space, they can make use of the outreach vaccination service so that their employees can get vaccinated in a more convenient way. They can also encourage all those who are yet to get vaccinated to receive the outreach service as far as possible. Enterprises and organisations can call the hotline for the outreach vaccination service at 3904 1490 from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 6pm, for arrangements.
Watch the video - outreach vaccinations launched (18.5.2021)
Persons Eligible for Receiving Vaccination
Hong Kong residents
The minimum age for receiving the Sinovac vaccine has been lowered to 6 months from 4 August 2022; the minimum age for receiving the BioNTech vaccine has been lowered to 6 months from 9 November 2022.
Eligible persons please choose one of the following groups when making online booking at the designated website or appointment with private clinics participating in the Government Programme for statistical purpose.
- Personnel in healthcare settings and those participating in anti-epidemic related work
- Residents and staff of residential care homes for the elderly / persons with disabilities and staff of Community Care Service units for the elderly / persons with disabilities
- Personnel maintaining critical public services (including employees of Government service contractors)
- Personnel providing cross-boundary transportation or working at control points and ports
- Registered construction workers and other resident site personnel
- Staff of local public transport service operators (e.g. taxi/bus/public light bus drivers, train captains and station staff)
- Staff of food and beverages premises, markets, supermarkets, convenience stores and couriers (including takeaway food delivery)
- Staff of property management (e.g. security guards, cleaning staff and property management office staff)
- Teachers and school staff (e.g. teaching and support staff of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools and universities; staff of special schools; and drivers and escorts of school buses and school private light buses)
- Staff of the tourism industry
- Staff of scheduled premises under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) (e.g. staff of fitness centres and beauty parlours)
- Domestic helpers
- Accompanying person(s) that already received the first dose of vaccine
- Others (Persons who do not belong to any of the above groups)
Non-Hong Kong residents
Starting from 23 December 2022, the Government have adjusted the vaccination arrangement under the Government Vaccination Programme (the “Government Programme”). Hong Kong residents will be accorded priority to receive the Comirnaty bivalent vaccine and the paediatric and toddler formulation of vaccine for free. The adjusted arrangement will be expanded to Comirnaty ancestral strain vaccine and CoronaVac vaccine on 16 January 2023.
Individual non-Hong Kong residents who meet the requirements under the Government Programme (i.e. for the first two doses vaccine, they should complete two doses of vaccination within their limit of stay as stated in the landing slips or extension of stay labels issued by the Immigration Department without extension; for the additional dose(s), their limit of stay is not less than 30 days on the date of the additional dose(s) vaccination), and have received COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong or hold an appointment registration (24-hour online booking system) under the Government Programme before the implementation date of the updated arrangement (i.e. 23 December 2022 or 16 January 2023) can still choose to receive the Comirnaty vaccine and the CoronaVac vaccine for free. They can seek assistance from any post office (except mobile post offices) during office hours, to make appointments for vaccination. They will need to provide the vaccination or appointment records for verification when making appointment and visiting the site of vaccination. Above eligible Non-Hong Kong residents can choose private doctors and clinics participating in the Government Programme, and make appointment for vaccination directly with the private doctors and clinics. For details, please read press release
In addition, the following Non-Hong Kong residents are still eligible to receive vaccination:
- Full-time students studying in Hong Kong (including cross-border students and exchange students), they are required to bring the student handbook or student card to proof the status and to seek assistance from any post office (except mobile post offices) during office hours, to make appointments for vaccination or choose private doctors and clinics participating in the Government Programme, and make appointment for vaccination directly with the private doctors and clinics.
- Non-refoulement claimants and refugees recognised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees can, through the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch, indicate their intention of receiving vaccination. The Government plans to provide vaccination to this group at designated CVCs. The International Social Service Hong Kong Branch’s enquiry hotline are 6511 8566 （Kwun Tong Office）; 6511 7786 (Prince Edward Office) and 6515 9466 (Tuen Mun Office).
If you are not in the above-mentioned eligible groups to receive free vaccination, you may consult your family doctor and consider vaccination at your own expense for personal protection. For the provision of COVID-19 vaccines in private market, please click here.
Additional dose(s) of COVID-19 vaccination arrangements
Data from various overseas and local studies have shown that after a period of time from COVID-19 vaccination, the antibody level in human body would drop. As the protection conferred by vaccine may wane with time, the World Health Organization recommended specific groups of persons to receive the additional dose(s) of COVID-19 vaccines, in order to defend against the COVID-19 virus more effectively.
Local studies have shown that three doses of COVID-19 vaccines (i.e. Comirnaty (BioNTech) vaccine or CoronaVac (Sinovac) vaccine) are highly effective in reducing hospitalization and death across all age groups in the adult population.
Taking reference from experts' recommendations, eligible persons can receive the additional dose(s) of COVID-19 vaccine free of charge.
For individuals who are eligible for receiving the additional dose(s) and the corresponding arrangements (including the vaccine recommendation), please refer to “Current Arrangement for the additional dose(s) of COVID-19 vaccine” at FAQs.
Individuals aged 50 years and above who had received two doses of Comirnaty(BioNTech) or CoronaVac(Sinovac) vaccine with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
Individuals aged 50 years or above are recommended to receive four doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
They are recommended to receive the third dose as soon as 90 days after the second dose. And they are recommended to receive the fourth dose at least 90 days after the third dose. They may choose to receive the CoronaVac (Sinovac), the Comirnaty (BioNTech) Original or Bivalent vaccine as the third or the fourth dose.
From 16 December onwards, persons aged 50 years or above and who had received four doses may choose to receive an additional dose of vaccine (i.e. the 5th dose) for better protection. Individuals may choose to receive the CoronaVac (Sinovac), the Comirnaty (BioNTech) Original or Bivalent vaccine under informed consent.
Individuals aged 18 to 49 years who had received two doses of Comirnaty(BioNTech) or CoronaVac(Sinovac) vaccine with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
They are recommended to receive the third dose as soon as 90 days after the second dose if aged 18 to 49 years.
Uninfected individuals aged 18 to 49 years who are at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure or with personal needs (e.g. to study abroad or to fulfil a requirement for overseas travel) may choose to receive a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 180 days from the third dose after considering the individual risk and benefit. They may choose to receive the CoronaVac (Sinovac), the Comirnaty (BioNTech) Original or Bivalent vaccine as the third or the fourth dose.
From 16 December onwards, persons aged 18 to 49 years and who had received four doses may choose to receive an additional dose of vaccine (i.e. the 5th dose) for better protection. Individuals may choose to receive the CoronaVac (Sinovac), the Comirnaty (BioNTech) Original or Bivalent vaccine under informed consent.
Higher risk of COVID-19 exposure includes:
- Workers in healthcare settings, residential care homes for the elderly or residential care homes for persons with disabilities;
- Workers at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational setting (personnel participating in anti-epidemic related work; personnel providing cross-boundary transportation or working at control points and ports)
Adolescents aged 12 to 17 years who had received two doses of CoronaVac (Sinovac) vaccine with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
A third dose of either CoronaVac or Comirnaty vaccine given as soon as 90 days after the second dose is recommended.
Adolescents aged 12 to 17 years who had received two doses of Comirnaty (BioNTech) vaccine with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
A third dose of Comirnaty vaccine given at least 150 days from the second dose is recommended. Personal choice of CoronaVac vaccine as the third dose is respected.
Children aged 6 months to 11 years who had received two doses of CoronaVac (Sinovac) vaccine with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
A third dose of CoronaVac vaccine given at least 90 days from the second dose is recommended. Children can choose to receive BioNTech vaccine as third dose on personal choice.
Children aged 5 to 11 years who had received two doses of Comirnaty (BioNTech) vaccine with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
A third dose of COVID-19 vaccine is not yet recommended (except for the immunocompromised ones).
Children aged 6 months to 4 years who had received two doses of Comirnaty (BioNTech) vaccine with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
A third dose of Comirnaty vaccine given at least 90 days from the second dose is recommended. Personal choice of CoronaVac vaccine as the third dose is respected.
Immunocompromised individuals with NO previous COVID-19 infection:
Immunocompromised individuals aged over 6 months are recommended to receive four doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Persons receiving CoronaVac vaccine will have the first three doses 4 weeks apart, followed by a fourth dose 90 days later. For those who wish to receive Comirnaty vaccine, the first two doses will be offered 21 days apart, with a third dose 28 days following the second dose and a fourth dose 90 days later.
Immunocompromised persons aged 12 or above may choose to receive Comirnaty bivalent vaccine as an alternative to the fourth dose of the current ancestral strain vaccines.
From 16 December onwards, immunocompromised persons aged 18 or above and who had received four doses of COVID-19 vaccine may choose to receive the Comirnaty (BioNTech) Bivalent vaccine as the fifth dose.
Documents to be presented upon receiving the additional dose(s) of vaccine:
- All persons are required to show their Identity Document for verification on the vaccination day.
- For children and adolescents aged between 6 months and 17 years old, they are required to bring along a consent form signed by their parents. The consent form can be download via following link:
Consent form for Sinovac vaccine and adult dose of BioNTech vaccine
Consent form for toddler and paediatric dose of BioNTech vaccine
- Immunocompromised patients should bring along with them a medical certificate on the day of receiving the additional dose(s). A medical certificate template is available here. For immunocompromised patients who would like to receive the fourth dose, if the relevant medical certificate has been issued for their third dose vaccination, they can bring along the relevant certificate within the validity period for receiving vaccination.
- For immunocompromised persons aged between 6 months and 17 years old, apart from bringing the relevant medical certificate, they are also required to bring along a consent form signed by their parents. In addition, they must be accompanied by their parents/guardians to the CVC on the day of receiving additional dose(s) vaccination.
- Members of the public are advised to receive the needed vaccination according to the vaccination interval recommended by experts. However, for those who have individual needs to receive vaccination earlier, please obtain relevant doctor's certification letter (including the medical reasons to receive vaccination and the recommended interval) from your attending doctors or family doctor and attend the vaccination venue. Health care professionals will arrange the vaccination based on individual circumstances.
Arrangement for recovered persons to receive additional dose(s)
- In general, recovered persons (except for the immunocompromised ones and individuals aged 50 years or above) are only recommended to receive two doses of vaccine. Recovered persons aged 50 years or above are recommended to receive the third dose 90 days after recovery or the second dose (whichever is later)
- Infected individuals aged 18 to 49 years who are at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure or with personal needs (e.g. to study abroad or to fulfil a requirement for overseas travel) may choose to receive a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine 180 days after recovery or the second dose (whichever is later) after considering the individual risk and benefit.
- For recovered adults aged 18 years or above who had received three doses of COVID-19 vaccine may choose to receive an additional dose (i.e. the fourth dose) for better protection. The interval between this additional dose and the third dose or recovery (whichever is later) shall be no less than 180 days. Recovered persons may choose to receive the CoronaVac (Sinovac), the Comirnaty (BioNTech) Original or Bivalent vaccine under informed consent.
- For recovered persons aged 18 years or above who intend to receive the second dose, they may choose to receive the bivalent vaccine or the ancestral strain vaccine. For immunocompromised-recovered persons aged 12 to 17 years who intend to receive the third dose, they may choose to receive the bivalent vaccine or ancestral strain vaccine.
- COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to persons who are unsure if they had previous COVID-19 infection or persons who do not have their recovery record in the Department of Health's system as if they have not been infected.
- For details about the vaccination schedule (including the intervals between doses), please read the “Factsheet on COVID-19 Vaccination for Persons with Prior COVID-19 Infection”.
Local residents who received COVID-19 vaccine outside Hong Kong
If the vaccinated persons are eligible for receiving the additional dose(s) and has received vaccine outside Hong Kong, and unable to make an appointment for the next dose with correct dose sequence of the vaccine through the online system. The above-mentioned people should bring the records for the non-local vaccination and go directly to the vaccination venues for vaccination.
Vaccination may be provided after clarification and consideration of relevant details by staff, including the information of the previous vaccination.
Regarding the arrangements for persons who are vaccinated outside Hong Kong with locally unavailable COVID-19 vaccines, please refer to FAQs 37.
Vaccination Records
After vaccination, they will receive paper vaccination records. They can also download their electronic / printable vaccination records via the “Electronic Vaccination and Testing Record System”, "iAM Smart" mobile app, or through the “eHealth” mobile app.
COVID-19 Vaccination records issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government have been added with information on the date of birth and gender of the vaccine recipient, as well as the manufacturer of the vaccine received since September 29, 2021. From January 2023, the paper / printable COVID-19 Vaccination records would indicate whether the vaccination administrated was provided under the Government Programme. Please click here for the sample of the paper / printable vaccination records.
Starting from March 7, 2023, members of the public can download local vaccination records compatible with the European Union Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC) mechanism for outbound travel purposes via the COVID-19 Electronic Vaccination and Testing Record System (eVT) or the "iAM Smart" mobile application. Please click here for details.
Electronic vaccination records are commonly accepted internationally and in general can be a substitute for paper records. They are also easier to carry and update. The Government appeals to members of the public to download the updated vaccination record via electronic means as far as possible. Individuals with special needs may bring the identification documents to collect the updated paper records at the locations listed below:
| Vaccination location / channel | Location to collect updated paper vaccination record |
|---|---|
| The same vaccination facility; or 18 designated post offices (For locations and relevant operating hours of the post offices, please refer to the website of Hongkong Post) |
| Designated General Outpatient Clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority | The same vaccination facility |
Individuals who require replacement or re-printing of vaccination record, but are unable to collect it in person, they can authorise other persons to get the printed copy. The authorised persons should show their personal identity document, the authorisation form and copies of the recipient's proof of identity.
Authorisation form for Collection of Vaccination Record on behalf
Due to the time required in preparing the re-printing of the records, individuals should bring all necessary documents and reserve ample waiting time.
Declaration of Non-local COVID-19 Vaccination or Recovery Record
Inbound travellers (including Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents) holding non-local COVID-19 vaccination and/or recovery record, can declare with the Government voluntarily to obtain a vaccination record QR code with their recovery status (if applicable) and/or a recovery record QR code, with a view to facilitating them to carry and view the records in electronic format.
To learn more, please refer to the FAQs.
Medical exemption arrangement under "vaccine pass"
The Government has lifted the Vaccine Pass arrangement implemented through the Prevention and Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation (Cap. 599L). For details, please refer to the relevant press release.
The "vaccine pass" requires those entering certain premises to have received COVID-19 vaccination. An individual who is unsuitable for vaccination due to health reasons with relevant proof from a doctor can be exempted from the vaccination requirement.
Under the arrangement of the "vaccine pass", a person who is medically unsuitable for vaccination is required to obtain an Exemption Certificate issued by a doctor. With a view to standardising and aligning arrangements, the Department of Health (DH) has produced a template of the Exemption Certificate for use by doctors. Members of the public who are medically unsuitable for vaccination may consult a doctor on whether they are unsuitable and thus obtain from the doctor an Exemption Certificate (may involve a fee for private doctors). The validity period of the Exemption Certificate is pre-set at 90 days, with the longest being 180 days. The actual validity period will be decided by the doctor having regard to clinical conditions.
For the convenience of the public, doctors under the Hospital Authority (HA) and private doctors will issue electronic versions of the Exemption Certificate to members of the public through the HA's Clinical Management System and the Government's eHealth(Subsides) System respectively.
The Exemption Certificate issued via the aforementioned computer systems will carry an encrypted QR code. The "eHealth" application and the COVID-19 Electronic Vaccination and Testing Record System (login with iAM Smart) have also be updated correspondingly to enable the public to download their Exemption Certificates issued by doctors. This arrangement will save users who record and display their Exemption Certificate via mobile application from having to carry paper copies.
A transitional period of about three months (until April 30) will be provided for the Exemption Certificate arrangement, so that private doctors can have sufficient time to register for the eHealth(Subsides) System and make preparations to issue electronic Exemption Certificates to members of the public. During the transitional period, private doctors can still issue non-electronic copies of the Exemption Certificate following the template compiled by the DH, and the relevant paper copy of the Exemption Certificate can continue to be used during the transitional period. However, after the transitional period, all Exemption Certificates must be issued electronically by doctors via the eHealth (Subsides) System or the HA's computer system. Certificates without an encrypted QR code will not be accepted.
Persons who are issued with the Exemption Certificate should be extra cautious in maintaining good personal and environmental hygiene at all times as they do not have vaccine protection for the time being. Measures include wearing a mask properly, maintaining hand hygiene at all times, going out less and reducing social activities, and maintaining appropriate social distance with other people as far as practicable. They should also consult a doctor regularly to assess their suitability to get vaccinated. To guard against the threat posed by the mutant virus strains with high transmissibility, persons who have yet to receive vaccination should get vaccinated as early as possible for self-protection. Eligible persons should also receive a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible to enhance protection and build a protective barrier in the community.
FAQs on COVID-19 Vaccination Medical Exemption Certificate
For the list of HA’s hospitals or clinics, please click here.
For the list of private doctors registered with eHealth(Subsides) System, please click here to search the＂List of Enrolled Healthcare Service Providers”for the medical practitioner under the “Health Care Voucher Scheme (HCVS)” or “Vaccination Subsidy Scheme(VSS)” , or click here for the list of private doctors providing Sinovac vaccination.
Registered medical practitioners who would like to join the Health Care Voucher Scheme or Vaccination Subsidy Scheme, please click here to browse the website of eHealth (Subsidies) enrolment website for more information.
Encouraging Vaccination
The Government welcomes the incentives actively provided by the commercial sector and organisations to encourage members of the public to receive the COVID-19 vaccines. It understands that some enterprises and organisations are considering to organise lucky draw activities for this. To facilitate their applications for the relevant licence(s) (including the Trade Promotion Competition Licence and Lottery Licence), the Office of the Licensing Authority of the Home Affairs Department has set up the COVID-19 Vaccination Promotion Lucky Draw Hotline 2117 2783 to provide one-stop consultation services for licence applications, and will expedite the processing of the relevant applications. For details, please visit https://www.hadla.gov.hk/en/.
The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) will provide technical advice and assistance to the commercial sector and organisations in verifying the vaccination records of participants for lucky draws or other related promotional activities. Enterprises and organisations can contact OGCIO (vaccine.promotion@ogcio.gov.hk) for enquiries.
