Hong Kong doctor convicted over issuing Covid jab exemptions without medical checks

A Hong Kong doctor has become the first practitioner among seven facing government accusations to admit issuing Covid-19 vaccination exemption certificates without a proper medical diagnosis.

Appearing at the District Court on Friday, 62-year-old Dr Wong Ping-leung pleaded guilty to the offence of issuing notices without conducting proper checks between February and June of 2022.

The city had a “vaccine pass” scheme in place at the time. Under the policy, members of the public needed to have received the necessary coronavirus jabs to enter shopping centres, restaurants and other public premises.

Exemptions were granted to those diagnosed with specific medical conditions or if a person was at risk of a severe allergic reaction to the Covid-19 vaccines. But such people were required to get a certificate from a practising doctor.

In September 2022, Wong was among seven doctors accused by the government of failing to follow the Department of Health’s guidelines and issuing certificates without conducting proper medical consultations or examining patients’ medical records.

As part of the guidance, general practitioners needed to confirm that patients were unsuitable to get the jab before providing the certificates.