Hong Kong in talks to use coronavirus vaccine records for travel: Media

The electronic registration system will record when and which type of vaccine a person has received. PHOTO: REUTERS

HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) - Hong Kong will complete an e-booking system for Covid-19 vaccine inoculations this month and is in talks with other countries to allow the records to be used for travel, local media including Hong Kong Economic Times reported.

The electronic registration system will record when and which type of vaccine a person has received and will remind the user when to receive a second shot, Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit was cited as saying in a radio interview.

Hong Kong has already reached agreements with Pfizer-BioNTech SE, AstraZeneca and China's Sinovac Biotech to acquire 22.5 million potential doses of vaccines, and is seeking a further 7.5 million. The government has said residents will be able to choose which type they receive, though the details are yet to be announced.

The Hong Kong government appointed a committee to approve the emergency use of the vaccines, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said last week, signalling the city is moving closer to authorising the candidates.

Separately, Radio Television Hong Kong reported on Saturday that Dr Tony Ko, chief executive of the city's Hospital Authority, said the organisation is considering testing all of its medical staff regularly for coronavirus.

Hong Kong does not require all residents to screen for the virus but issued mandatory testing orders to tenants of 44 buildings where cases were found in the past 14 days.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.