The temporary suspension comes after the defect was reported, as authorities say there is no problem with vaccine safety.
Hong Kong and Macau have suspended the use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines due to a defect in the packaging of a batch of doses, officials said on Wednesday.
Bottles with lot number 210102 were found to have defective packaging, authorities said, and an investigation was underway.
“As a precaution, the current vaccination should be suspended during the investigation period,” the Hong Kong government said in a statement, noting that there were “breaches in the seal of the bottle.”
Vaccinations using a second batch – 210104 – have also been suspended, he added. He did not explain whether that batch was similarly affected.
Both Chinese territories have said they have decided to suspend the use of the vaccine after being contacted by Fosun Industrial, the Chinese pharmaceutical company that distributes the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in China.
Officials said Fosun and BioNTech do not believe there are safety risks. The Hong Kong Department of Health will hold an emergency meeting with the two companies on Wednesday.
Several vaccination centers in Hong Kong have been told to stop using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to notifications seen by residents on Wednesday morning.
Some people went on social media to say that their appointments that day had been canceled and that some vaccination centers had been closed.
The Pfizer-BioNTech shot is one of two vaccines that are part of the Hong Kong mass vaccination program and should be kept at ultra-cold temperatures of -70 degrees Celsius. He also uses Sinovac, a vaccine developed in China.