Chinese bank tries to entice wealthy customers with mRNA vaccines
A Chinese state-owned bank in Hong Kong is offering customers one shot of an mRNA vaccine if they make a deposit of HK$4mn (US$512,277), as it seeks to entice mainland clients who have until now only had access to locally produced jabs.
The BioNTech/Pfizer mRNA vaccine is not widely available on the mainland but has long been available for free to permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau as Beijing allowed the two territories to pursue a different vaccination strategy.
China Citic Bank International’s offer, which comes after mainland China removed cross-border restrictions with Hong Kong, illustrates Chinese citizens’ desire for western vaccines despite official criticism of the jabs. China has seen a surge in infections after the sudden reversal of Beijing’s zero-Covid policy last month.
“An insurance company from the mainland [asked] us about the service and [is] considering organising group vaccination tours for [staff],” the clinic told the Financial Times. Another clinic, Swindon Medical, said their first batch of 100 jabs were already booked out.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Gloria Li
