Elderly Residents Given Expired COVID-19 Vaccines at Care Home; Health Department Launches Investigation.

2024-12-31 19:05 Last Updated At：19:18

DH investigates incident of RCHE administering COVID-19 vaccines beyond recommended use-by date

The Department of Health (DH) said today (December 31) that a review of the vaccine orders and vaccination records found that Comirnaty XBB COVID-19 vaccines that had passed the recommended use-by date were administered to two residents of a residential care home for the elderly (RCHE) by healthcare workers from Health & Young Limited. The two affected residents did not feel ill. The DH has requested the RCHE and the medical organisation concerned to take immediate remedial action and to closely monitor the health conditions of the affected persons. The DH will continue to investigate and follow up on the incident.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that, on December 18, healthcare workers from the medical organisation concerned visited an RCHE named LUXE GARDEN in North District and administered the Comirnaty XBB COVID-19 vaccines, which were 12 days beyond the recommended use-by date, to two residents. According to the vaccine manufacturer's recommendation, the Comirnaty XBB COVID-19 vaccine should be stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius after thawing and should be used within 70 days," a spokesman for the DH said.

The DH is highly concerned about the incident and has conducted an inspection at the RCHE involved to check the storage of vaccines and vaccination procedures. The staff of the RCHE have been reminded to regularly check the recommended use-by dates of the vaccines, to store vaccines with different recommended use-by dates separately, and to dispose of expired vaccines in a timely manner in accordance with the guidelines of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. The DH has also advised the staff of the RCHE and the relevant visiting doctor to improve their vaccine management procedures and internal communication, and urged the RCHE and the medical organisation concerned to take immediate remedial actions to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents.

"The DH has sought information from the vaccine manufacturer on the safety, efficacy and quality of the vaccines. Taking into account the history of COVID-19 vaccination and infection of the affected residents, the DH advised that there is no need for the affected residents to be revaccinated. The DH has instructed the visiting doctor to monitor the health conditions of the affected residents. At the request of the DH, the visiting doctor has explained the incident to the affected residents or their relatives and discussed subsequent arrangements," the spokesman said.

In addition, the DH has suspended the vaccination service of the attending doctor in question under the Vaccination Schemes and will continue to follow up on whether the medical organisation and RCHE concerned have complied with the DH's guidelines. If any person is found to have breached the guidelines or the terms and conditions of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, the DH will handle the case according to established procedures.

Passenger Sentenced to Over Seven Months for Smuggling 48,000 Illicit Cigarettes into Hong Kong

2025-04-03 19:03 Last Updated At：19:18

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products

An incoming male passenger was sentenced to seven months and five days of imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 3) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs Officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

Customs officers intercepted a 38-year-old incoming male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on February 6. About 34 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 12 000 alternative smoking products were seized from his personal baggage. He was subsequently arrested. Upon investigation, Customs officers also discovered that the passenger had arrived at HKIA on July 10, 2024, and had not yet claimed his personal baggage, which contained about 14 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes. As such, a total of about 48 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and about 12 000 alternative smoking products, with a total estimated market value of about $239,000 and a duty potential of about $163,000, were seized in this case.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).