Tai Hang • Hong Kong

Children as young as 12 years old were getting their first shots of the BioNTech vaccine on Monday – with some of those at vaccination centres speaking about how they wanted to do their part to help things return to normal.⠀

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Monday was the first day that children aged 12 to 15 were able to get the jabs, after appointments for the age group opened last Friday.⠀

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Authorities had announced the extension of the inoculation programme last week, but only the German-made BioNTech vaccine is available for the younger age group. The mainland-developed Sinovac vaccine is only available to those aged 18 and up.⠀

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One 15-year-old who had his vaccination at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre told RTHK getting the jab was very quick and staff there had been helpful.⠀

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He said he wanted to get the vaccination because he plans to return to Europe over the summer, and hopes to return without needing to undergo quarantine.⠀

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“It’s a very small percentage of people who have very severe side effects, so I’m confident,” he said. “It’s also to just do my part to vaccinate, and hope that I don’t infect other people and they don’t infect me – that way we can all go back to normal soon.”⠀

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“I think we need to do our part for this, we all need to get vaccinated if we can, and I think Hong Kong is giving a big opportunity to everyone,” the boy’s mother said.⠀

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“In Europe, people are dying… they really want a vaccine. India is also very bad. We are glad to be here, and we are glad that the government is providing all this for everyone,” she added.⠀

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(20210614 RTHK News)

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