Currently in Hong Kong, only adults aged 18 or above can receive Sinovac vaccination. BioNTech jabs are for those aged 12 or above.

Lau, who is the chairman of the Department of Health's scientific committee on vaccine preventable diseases, cited primary figures from a study on teenagers receiving Sinovac vaccine in saying that the level of antibodies developed in teenagers' bodies may even be higher than that in adults'.

He pointed out that before the age limit is lowered, Sinovac still has to submit its phase three research data to the government.

Around 60 percent of people in the 12-19 age group have received the vaccine, which he noted as being close the bottleneck of the vaccination programme. Lau also referred to another study by the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, which pointed out that 30 to 40 percent of respondents wish to get the Sinovac vaccine.

“Many students asked me if they can still get the jabs [Sinovac vaccine]. I said no, the study is complete. They were really desperate and disappointed,” Lau said.

Ha added that a few secondary school principals told him that many students really hope to get the Sinovac vaccine, and wished the committee would soon agree to lower the age limit. He also noted that students will continue to be deeply affected by health conditions like obesity and metal illnesses if the class suspension continues.

In China, the age limit for receiving Sinovac has been lowered to three, while the age limit has just been lowered to six in Chile.