Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group, the exclusive China distributor of German firm BioNTech’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, said it has received more than 10,000 enquiries through its online booking service from people wanting to travel from mainland China to Hong Kong to receive the Omicron-focused shot.
Long queues of mainland Chinese nationals looking to receive the mRNA vaccine have been seen outside Hong Kong clinics this week. The border between the city and mainland China was opened at the weekend, and many travellers have been keen to receive the vaccine, which has not been available to citizens in mainland China where the government recently ended its zero-Covid approach.
“Health is priceless. Most of my family back home have been infected in the past couple of weeks. I do not understand why, but I want to give myself stronger protection,” said Zhuang Ping, who was among the first batch of mainlanders arriving in the city to get vaccinated.
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The 46-year-old businessman said he had received two vaccines from Sinovac and one from China National Biotec Group (CNBG) over the past two years. The Sinovac vaccine uses an inactivated form of the Covid-19 virus, instead of mRNA technology, and research studies have shown booster doses of Sinovac are less effective than booster doses of BioNTech to protect against Covid-19 variants.
“I heard that the mRNA vaccine targeting Omicron is more efficient, hence I have been looking for how to get it,” said Zhuang, who went to considerable expense to visit Hong Kong on his way back to China from South Africa, where he works. The service he received at a clinic in Tsim Sha Tsui cost HK$1,680 (US$215), said Zhuang.
“For me, it was worth taking the detour to stop in Hong Kong and pay for the jab as long as I can stay healthy,” said Zhuang, who also did some shopping nearby the clinic. “The entire procedure is smooth and I will recommend to my friends and relatives to come and get vaccinated.”
Shanghai Fosun said it started to receive queries to make appointments to receive the jab in Hong Kong on Chinese messaging app WeChat on January 6. It charges a 299 yuan (US$44) booking fee for registration, which does not include the cost of the jab itself.
More than 10 clinics and private hospitals in Hong Kong have approached Fosun as of today to administer the vaccine, said the company, and prices in the city currently range from HK$1,500 to HK$2,800 for a single dose, according to online adverts reviewed by the Post.
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Another person the Post approached in a queue for the vaccine said cost was not an issue. “Of course the cheaper the better, but if it can help us stay healthy, the money does not matter much,” said Shi Yingwei, a 53-year-old businessman from Shenzhen. “As long as there is no need to wait for a very long time, it is fine.”
The queues for the mRNA vaccine in the city may get longer.
China abandoned its zero-Covid policy in early December and reopened its borders for international travel on Sunday – a move welcomed by the foreign business community. But some countries have announced restrictions on arrivals from China, citing concerns over the country’s recent Covid-19 surge and the emergence of a new variant.
“The demand will be stronger after Lunar New Year as now people are busy planning family gatherings and holidays,” said Miu miu Siu, founder of CHKMED, a clinic in Tsim Sha Tsui. “We are expecting 200 to 300 people from the mainland to come to our clinic to receive the mRNA jab every day after the Lunar New Year.”
A Fosun spokesperson told the Post that vaccine supplies for people coming from the mainland who are prepared to pay privately and those in Hong Kong who are eligible for free jabs are being kept separate, with no compromise of supply for local citizens.
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