“We are grateful for this approval decision and are committed to bringing this vaccine to people in Hong Kong as soon as possible.”

Bivalent Covid vaccines contain a formulation based on two virus strains – the original type, as well as subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

Meanwhile, the health department said a first-generation vaccine produced by CanSino Biologics was also authorised for use, meaning the manufacturer could sell the jabs to public or private healthcare organisations.

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It suggested medical workers refer to the registration details and guidelines on vaccine labels and consider factors such as the recipient’s age and health when administering shots, including those from Moderna and CanSino Biologics.

According to the World Health Organization last year, the CanSino Biologics jab is safe and effective for people aged 18 and over. It can be administered to individuals who have received other brands of vaccines before.

Moderna said in its phase two and three studies, the booster shot had induced a “superior” neutralising antibody response against BA.4 and BA.5 compared with its single-valent vaccine among 511 people aged 19 to 89 who had received the jab.

It said consistent results were observed among all participants, adding the vaccine was deemed suitable for those aged 12 years and above.

Patrick Bergstedt, Moderna senior vice-president and head of emerging markets, said the approval of their booster gave Hongkongers further protection against the major Omicron subvariants.

“We are pleased to provide another Covid-19 vaccination option in Hong Kong to help provide healthcare security, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly and immunocompromised,” he noted.

About 84.5 per cent of residents aged 12 or over have received three doses of a Covid vaccine, while more than 1.1 million people and about 87,640 have received their fourth and fifth jabs respectively.

Aside from BioNTech’s Omicron jab, the German company’s first-generation vaccine and Sinovac’s equivalent based on the original coronavirus strain are also covered by the government’s free vaccination programme.

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Since mid-April, only residents aged 50 or above, patients with chronic illness aged 18 to 49, those aged six months or more with immunocompromised conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers are eligible for a free booster. They are recommended to get the jab at least 180 days after their last dose or Covid infection.

Professor Lau Yu-lung, chairman of the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and a paediatrics professor, welcomed the approval of the Moderna shot. He added that the jab was similar to BioNTech’s Omicron-targeting booster.

“Overseas studies have shown the Moderna booster may be a bit more effective against the virus than the BioNTech one, but at the same time, involve a bit of a higher risk,” he said.

But he expected that the jab would not be included in the government’s free vaccination programme, meaning the public might need to receive it at private institutions.

He said as the Covid-19 pandemic had receded, the government might approve vaccines as long as their manufacturer could prove they were safe and approved by two to three overseas health authorities.

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World Health Organization announces Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency

World Health Organization announces Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency

Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, a member of the advising committee on vaccination and an infectious disease expert at the University of Hong Kong said the approval was strongly supported by scientific evidence from the phase three clinical trial results.

He said the adverse effects of the booster were similar to the first-generation vaccine, adding that it would be a personal choice when picking between Moderna or BioNTech jabs. But Hung said he had not read any details on the clinical effectiveness of the CanSino Biologics vaccine.

Meanwhile, Sinovac said “a few thousand” doses of its first-generation vaccine would be available on the private market this month for those ineligible for free booster shots.

Currently, the BioNTech shot is the only option for people receiving self-paid vaccines.

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Sinovac’s international business development director for Asia-Pacific, Cheryl Law Man-wai, said prices for shots would be determined by market demand while the exact number of jabs would be set by private institutions.

She said the company would consider introducing its bivalent booster to Hong Kong after mainland China had approved it.

The company would also donate around 5,000 shots to children aged between three and 12, with the dates to be confirmed.

Sinovac said the age group faced relatively high risks of Covid-related complications but was not covered by the government’s free vaccination programme.