Walk-in jabs for all will boost vaccination: doctor

The doctor in charge of a vaccination centre in Jordan said on Tuesday that he expected vaccination rates to pick up when everyone aged twelve and above is able to get a jab without a booking.

From Wednesday, people can walk in to 21 community vaccination centres to get a jab without making an appointment online. The walk-in scheme had initially been restricted to older people.

Speaking on RTHK’s Hong Kong Today programme, Samuel Kwok said the capacity of his Kwun Chung centre was 2,000 vaccinations a day, but fewer than 1,000 people were turning up for inoculation.

He told RTHK’s Janice Wong that there had been a “decreasing trend” in recent weeks.

He also said the government had approached him about the possibility of forming mobile vaccination outreach teams to make inoculation more convenient for elderly people who might have difficulty travelling.

“The government is thinking about outreach programmes and our vaccination centre has been invited to think about forming teams, mobile vaccination units, to do outreach in estates, in shopping malls thing like that.

“So we are thinking about that direction, trying to help people who don’t really have to leave where they live to go to centres to have their jabs very, very nearby, so it’s convenient to them.”

Kwok also said there was a need to offer more clear information on the safety of vaccines to elderly people to boost their low level of vaccination.

“It’s safe for everybody, irrespective of age, actually, so I think more explanation would be very useful,” Kwok added.