Hong Kong like to resume BioNTech Covid vaccine shots next Week: Report

Hong Kong was already struggling to raise its dismal vaccination rate when it halted the use of shots developed by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. on March 24 after finding packaging defects in a small number of vials.

Hong Kong is likely to resume BioNTech-Pfizer vaccinations early next week, the South China Morning Post reported Wednesday, citing sources it didn’t identify.

The packaging defects, which included dozens of loose vial caps and stained bottles, affected about 1.3 million doses that had been delivered to the city. (Bloomberg file photo. Representative image)

Hong Kong was already struggling to raise its dismal vaccination rate when it halted the use of shots developed by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. on March 24 after finding packaging defects in a small number of vials.

On March 27, the Hong Kong government said BioNTech and its regional distributor Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group had found no safety concerns with the vaccines sent to the city.

The packaging defects, which included dozens of loose vial caps and stained bottles, affected about 1.3 million doses that had been delivered to the city. Around 150,000 people had received BioNTech shots in Hong Kong before the vaccinations were suspended.

The Hong Kong chief executive’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment on the SCMP story outside of business hours.