Update on monitoring COVID-19 vaccination
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In the preceding month till 11.59pm on March 28, the Department of Health (DH) received 12 reports (Note 1) of adverse events following COVID-19 immunisation. No death cases were reported by the Hospital Authority (HA) involving individuals who had received vaccines within 14 days before they passed away and had potential association with vaccination.
As at 8pm on March 28, around 20.74 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered for members of the public. Around 6.91 million people had received at least one dose of vaccine, including 95.1 per cent of the population aged 12 or above. The DH received 8 116 reports of adverse events (0.04 per cent of the total vaccine doses administered). Among the death cases concerning persons who had been vaccinated, including 120 cases (Note 2) with vaccination within 14 days before they passed away (0.0006 per cent of the total vaccine doses administered), none of the death cases were associated with vaccination.
As of today, the Expert Committee on Clinical Events Assessment Following COVID-19 Immunisation had concluded that 117 death cases had no causal relationship with vaccination, while for two cases the causal relationship with vaccination could not be established, and preliminarily considered that one case was not associated with vaccination. The Expert Committee considered that there is no unusual pattern identified so far, and will continue to closely monitor the relevant situation and collect data for assessment.
According to information from the HA, during the period from March 1 to March 28, 2023, the overall ratio of death cases was 48.5 cases for every 100 000 people, whereas the average ratio of death cases for the same period in 2018 to 2020 was 46.7 cases for every 100 000 people. Among these death cases, the ratio of death cases with acute stroke or acute myocardial infarction was 2.7 cases for every 100 000 people, whereas the average ratio of death cases under the same category for the same period in 2018 to 2020 was 3.1 cases for every 100 000 people. Furthermore, the ratio of miscarriage cases was 14.0 cases for every 100 000 people, whereas the average ratio of miscarriage cases for the same period in 2018 to 2020 was 22.5 cases for every 100 000 people. Based on the statistical analysis of the above figures, there is no evidence that vaccination increases the risk of death or miscarriage for recipients. The relevant reference statistics will be uploaded to the thematic website for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.
The majority of non-death cases of adverse events received so far are relatively minor cases. The relevant details can be found in the “Report on the Safety Monitoring of COVID-19 Vaccines in Hong Kong” (www.drugoffice.gov.hk/eps/do/en/doc/Safety_Monitoring_of_COVID-19_Vaccines_in_Hong_Kong.pdf).
A Government spokesman reminded the public that although Hong Kong has resumed to full normalcy, COVID-19 infection still poses certain health risks. He urged members of the public to follow the COVID-19 vaccination arrangements announced by the Government under the new stage of normalcy resumption (see separate press release) and get vaccinated as soon as possible for self-protection.
Separately, the above monthly updates on vaccination monitoring will be adjusted to be released on a quarterly basis through press releases starting from April. The Government will continue to publish other relevant information and data on COVID-19 vaccination on the thematic website for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en).
Note 1: Provisional figures. In the preceding month till 11.59pm on March 28, the DH did not receive any reports of suspected myocarditis or pericarditis involving adolescents in the age group of 3 to 15, and did not receive any reports of serious or unexpected adverse events following COVID-19 immunisation for children aged under 3.
Note 2: In the preceding month till 11.59pm on March 28, the DH did not receive any death reports involving individuals who had received COVID-19 vaccination within 14 days before passing away.