In this April 6, 2022 photo, a staff member helps a citizen receive COVID 19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Hong Kong. XINHUA HONG KONG The government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region will conduct a proper medical assessment for individuals holding COVID- 19 vaccination medical exemption certificates suspected of being not in compliance with government guidelines.
The move came days after the government said that seven private doctors issued more than 20,000 COVID - 19 vaccination exemption certificates, which were intended to be used in assessing whether they are suitable for receiving vaccine depending on their needs.
On Sept 29, the government announced that if people hold exemption certificates issued by private doctors suspected of having failed to provide proper medical consultation in accordance with government guidelines and abused the issuance of exemption certificates, they can consult other doctors, depending on their needs or may continue to be medically exempted.
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The government has also encouraged them to visit general out-patient clinics GOPCs under the Hospital Authority, except designated clinics for confirmed cases of COVID-19 and clinics, the government said in a statement on Thursday.
The public sector doctors can determine whether the patients can continue to receive medical exemption based on their clinical condition, it added.
Those holding Exemption Certificates issued by seven doctors suspected of having abused exemption certificate issuance may make appointments for GOPC services through the telephone appointment system or the Book GOPC function in the HA's one-stop mobile application HA Go or visit the GOPCs.
The clinics will help them arrange consultations on the same day or make appointments for consultation.
This group of patients is exempt from the fees of GOPC services HK $50 If relevant individuals delay vaccination according to the recommendations by the exemption certificates, not only can their health be put at risk of severe illness or even deaths in case of COVID-19 infection, but they will also place an unnecessary burden on the public healthcare system, according to the government statement.
If people use an improper exemption certificate to enter premises subject to the vaccine pass, information in the QR code is recorded, and government enforcement officers are entitled to require them to present their vaccine pass, including the exemption certificates, said a government spokesman.
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If a member of the public is found to have used an invalid or fraudulent exemption certificate upon verification, the relevant information will be passed to enforcement departments for follow-up, according to the spokesman.
The maximum penalty for using false instruments knowingly is imprisonment for 14 years, the spokesman said.