Health authorities have resumed administering the BioNTech Covid shots on Monday following investigations that concluded the recent emergence of defective vials did not pose a safety risk. This put an end to a 12-day halt in the use of this vaccine type.
Previously, Alvis Lo, the new director of the SSM, said the new batch of 20,000 doses will allow “ongoing vaccination of those that have already taken the first dose of the vaccine. It will also allow those that have previously booked to take it to initiate and complete the process across two doses.”
However, since the restart of the BioNTech vaccine administration, a technical issue occurred in the afternoon which affected the issuance of the certificate after the first vaccination and the issuance of the vaccination record after the completion of the two doses of vaccine.
The authorities explained that the computer problem was, however, overcome, and was due to a new format in the numbering of the new batch.
Residents who were unable to obtain a vaccination certificate or registration after being vaccinated at the Conde São Januário Hospital or at health centers will soon be contacted by SSM staff, the bureau clarified.
Latest figures show that as of yesterday, 105,779 vaccinations have been performed, while 57,251 inoculations have been concluded with a second dose.
Authorities continue to call on the public to sign up for the vaccine in order to help in creating herd immunity in the city.
Both SARs immediately suspended BioNTech vaccination on March 24 following an online meeting with Fosun Pharma, as a precautionary step, due to ‘packaging defects.’
The new batch containing 20,000 doses of the vaccine will not carry any added cost for the government as it will be supplied by the manufacturer without any extra charge.
Hong Kong also restarted BioNTech vaccination on Monday.
About 1.3 million doses have been delivered to the financial hub, and around 150,000 people had received BioNTech shots in Hong Kong prior to the halt.
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