Hong Kong’s new health minister has expressed hope that more families and couples separated by the city’s border with mainland China can be reunited next month for Chinese Valentine’s Day, provided the number of local Covid-19 infections can be reduced.

The remarks on Monday from Professor Lo Chung-mau, the city’s new secretary for health, came as an infectious disease expert revealed that Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm’s Omicron-targeted vaccine could be made available to Hongkongers in December, meaning residents could potentially have three new jabs to choose from by the end of the year if they all receive official approval.

In a blog post marking his first full working day, Lo said it was possible the border with the mainland could reopen on August 4, which is this year’s date for China’s Qixi Festival, if the city worked to contain the number of local coronavirus cases.