Chief Executive Carrie Lam today visited the community vaccination centre (CVC) at Queen Elizabeth Stadium to inspect its operation and offer encouragement to the staff.

The Government has resumed the vaccination service of the BioNTech vaccine to the public since April 5.

Queen Elizabeth Stadium is one of the new CVCs which started operation on the same day to provide BioNTech vaccination service to those who had made appointments.

Accompanied by Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip and Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan, Mrs Lam received a briefing from personnel of the medical organisation running the CVC on its operation.

She expressed her gratitude to the relevant organisation for its participation in the Government's vaccination programme to contribute to the fight against the virus.

Mrs Lam also chatted with people who were vaccinated there. She noted that they considered the centre operated smoothly and were satisfied with the vaccination arrangement.

Following the opening of the CVCs at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Ho Man Tin Sports Centre, the number of CVCs providing BioNTech vaccination services has increased to 21.

While another eight CVCs will provide the Sinovac vaccination services to the public, three of them will provide the BioNTech one next month as originally planned.

There are 14 priority groups under the vaccination programme that cover people aged 30 and above, students aged 16 or above studying outside Hong Kong, domestic helpers and others.

Since the programme's launch, the Government has provided the first vaccine dose to about 490,000 people. Of that number, about 90,000 people have received two vaccine doses.

Mrs Lam emphasised that currently there is an adequate supply of both the Sinovac vaccine as well as the BioNTech vaccine and the vaccination arrangement is very convenient, adding that people have to wait for 14 days after receiving both doses for the vaccine to fully develop the due protection.

"To this end, the earlier people get vaccinated, the earlier they can enjoy the status of having completed the vaccination, thereby enabling them to meet the requirements for the convenience of travel or carrying out certain activities in the future," she said.

Mrs Lam also appealed to the public to make appointments to get vaccinated as soon as possible.