Editorial | Hong Kong cannot afford to be complacent on jabs as immunity builds
- The proof is out there for all to see, a higher rate in vaccination against Covid-19 definitely enhances protection and helps bring life closer to normal
Just three months ago, Hong Kong was still struggling to ramp up its Covid-19 inoculation rate, with barely some 2 million doses of vaccine administered. By last Saturday, the number had hit 7 million. Meanwhile, the city had only recorded a handful of local infections without serious community outbreaks.
This is the clearest evidence yet that an immunity barrier is gradually building. But with millions still shunning the jabs, there is no room for complacency. A recent slowdown in the take-up amid growing concern over the vaccinated becoming infected poses further challenges. More vigorous public education and promotion are needed to renew the momentum.
The extension of walk-in jabs for students aged 12 and above is the latest attempt by the government to speed up the pace. Separately, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor urged the private sector to follow the government’s requirement for staff to come forward or produce “on a very regular basis” negative test results in order to work.
Whether the two initiatives will make a difference remains to be seen. But it shows that the government is well aware of the gap in reaching at least 70 per cent inoculation to achieve herd immunity.
No fewer than 3.18 million, or more than 43 per cent of the population, have had two jabs so far. Cautiously optimistic as it is, the notion of herd immunity is being questioned as infections in Britain and other countries with high vaccination rates are still spiralling. Hong Kong has also recorded more imported cases involving people who have been double jabbed, prompting the cancellation of shorter quarantine periods for those with immunity tests.
The phenomenon may reinforce scepticism among some people. There are those who think they can cope with the pandemic by just wearing masks and observing social-distancing rules.
Others may wonder why they should risk possible adverse effects to take the jabs when one may still get infected. But they have overlooked the fact that breakthrough infections are still the minority. Even in the event of contracting the virus, vaccination can significantly reduce hospital stays and death.