Hong Kong to Shut Covid-19 Vaccine Indemnity Fund After $19.7 Million Payout
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The Hong Kong government will cease operations of its Covid-19 vaccine indemnity fund later this month, ending a program that paid out HK$154 million ($19.7 million) to hundreds of residents who suffered severe side effects.
Authorities announced on Dec. 10 that the Indemnity Fund for Adverse Events Following Immunization with Coronavirus Disease-2019 Vaccines (AEFI Fund) will formally conclude its operations. The closure coincides with the Dec. 23 expiration of the Prevention and Control of Disease (Use of Vaccines) Regulation, the legal framework that authorized the emergency use of the vaccines.
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- Hong Kong’s Covid-19 vaccine indemnity fund, which paid out HK$154 million for 527 approved claims (including two deaths), will end this month as the emergency vaccine regulation expires on December 23.
- From 1,417 applications, most involved injuries such as severe allergic reactions and myocarditis; the average payout was HK$285,000 for injuries and HK$2 million for deaths.
- The fund’s closure is administrative; individuals retain the right to pursue legal action for alleged damages.
- BioNTech
- BioNTech manufactured one of the COVID-19 vaccines administered in Hong Kong. Over 21.24 million doses of vaccines from BioNTech and Sinovac Biotech have been distributed in the city. The Hong Kong government's vaccine indemnity fund, which is closing, provided financial assistance for severe side effects, although it's noted that a causal relationship with the vaccine isn't always implied.
- Sinovac Biotech
- Sinovac Biotech is a Chinese company that produced one of the COVID-19 vaccines administered in Hong Kong. Over 21.24 million doses of vaccines, including those from Sinovac Biotech, have been administered in the city. The article mentions that individuals damaged by vaccines retain the right to seek damages through civil litigation against vaccine manufacturers.
- December 2020：
- The Hong Kong government established regulations to manage the public-health crisis related to Covid-19 and authorized emergency use of vaccines.
- February 2021：
- The Hong Kong government launched the Indemnity Fund for Adverse Events Following Immunization with Coronavirus Disease-2019 Vaccines (AEFI Fund).
- As of November 30, 2025：
- The AEFI Fund had processed 1,408 applications, with 527 claims approved and approximately HK$154 million disbursed.
- December 10, 2025：
- Authorities announced that the AEFI Fund will formally conclude its operations later in December 2025.
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