health million doses in Pfizer-BioNTech in comparison to 1 per million in Sinovac although there is significantly more published data for Pfizer-BioNTech and this may change over time .
The side effect data provided by the CHP and Department of Health is described in more detail in the following leaflets :
Pfizer-BioNTech and
Sinovac .
Will the vaccines be effective against the new mutations ? Some of the mutations are showing evidence of early escape from current vaccinations . It seems likely from current evidence that vaccines will continue to be effective , although possibly not to the same degree . As in the original question about effectiveness , they still seem to be good at preventing severe disease , but lower effectiveness may negatively impact population immunity . The good news here is that widespread genetic tracing of the virus allows early identification of potentially important variants and it will be possible to modify RNA vaccines against these variants , if and when they become clinically relevant . We are now able to predict , at least to some degree , the likely impact of the genetic mutations on immunity by understanding which components of the DNA structure are impacted . Research is ongoing in this area internationally .
Hong Kong has so few infections , do we really need to vaccinate so many people ? The majority of experts in virology believe it is unlikely that the SARS-COV2 virus will now simply disappear . It is not impossible , but the ability of the virus to hide in symptomless individuals and also in animal reservoirs mean it is most likely to stay with us . That being the case , we really have only two options . The first is to stay locked down for ever with border controls and intermittent social distancing measures . The second is to develop immunity within the population . The acquisition of immunity can only be achieved by natural infection or immunisation . Experience from other populations has shown that allowing the infection to spread has the potential to rapidly overwhelm health systems leading to high population mortality . Characteristics of our densely populated city make this option a nonstarter from a public health perspective .
High levels of population immunity via vaccination represents the best chance to protect the health system whilst removing existing public-health controls .
Can I pay privately for vaccination ? Answer : No
The vaccination program will be run by the government and all vaccinations will be free . In the first instance private clinics will ONLY have access to Sinovac vaccine and vaccinations will commence in the next couple of weeks . Patients who wish to take Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines should
book online via a government centre here . The process is simple and very efficient .
Should children be vaccinated ? Answer : No
There is currently no evidence for any COVID-19 vaccinations in children under 16 years ( 18 years for Sinovac ). There is also good evidence that risks of COVID-19 are very low in young people . They are not zero , but any public health intervention must involve a risk-benefit analysis . It is unlikely that there will be widespread vaccination of young people until we have greater evidence of the effectiveness and safety of the vaccinations , and a better understanding of the real risks of the disease process in children .
Is the vaccine safe in pregnancy and breast feeding ? We do not yet have adequate evidence of the safety of the vaccines in pregnancy and during breast feeding . As with children it is unlikely that vaccination will be advised in these situations until we have much more data available . Every public health intervention involves a risk benefit analysis and this is especially the case when community infections remain so low . Pregnant or nursing mothers who are in higher risk groups or in situations of higher community transmission should discuss the risk benefits of vaccination with their doctor .
I have had COVID , should I still be vaccinated ? Answer : YES
It is generally advised to delay vaccination until at least one month after COVID-19 infection but previous infection is not a contraindication to vaccination . Indeed , subsequent immunisation appears to effectively boost natural immunity .
Can I take more than one type of COVID-19 vaccination ? Immunisation should be completed with a single vaccination type so that the first and second dose will be the same brand of vaccine . In the first instance the government will provide one series of vaccination for every eligible individual in Hong Kong . It may be that in the future we give subsequent boosters with different vaccines but this will be dependent on further research . As previously discussed the RNA vaccines may be used to cover new or evolving variants in the future .
Is it possible to choose which vaccine to take ? Answer : YES
The Hong Kong Government has indicated that individuals can choose which vaccine they wish to take . Both Sinovac and the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine are available in government vaccination centres . Information about the government program and vaccination booking is
available here . AstraZeneca vaccination should be available around the Summer .
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