-
Advertisement
Coronavirus Hong Kong
Opinion
SCMP Editorial
SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Fourth jab for elderly to be welcomed as Hong Kong virus battle goes on

  • Covid-19 infections may be falling, but people are still dying, and an ever-vigilant city has to ensure immunisation remains a priority

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
5
The decision to immediately allow people aged 60 and over to get a fourth vaccine jab makes good sense given the impact of the disease among the elderly. Photo: Edmond So
SCMP Editorial
The worst of Hong Kong’s Omicron-driven fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic outwardly appears to be over, with the daily number of infections and deaths far below last month’s peaks. Many residents seem to think so, streets, public transport and shopping malls crowded to levels not seen since before the outbreak began at the end of December. But such unconcern is premature; too many people are still dying and falling sick and requiring hospital care. The decision by the government on Thursday to immediately allow people aged 60 and over to get a fourth vaccine jab makes good sense given the impact of the disease among the elderly.
The surge of people enticed to leave their homes by a HK$5,000 (US$640) government voucher raises infection risks; we will know in coming days and weeks to what degree. It is why public holidays prompt warnings for residents to be cautious about their activities, a matter of particular concern with the upcoming three-day Easter break. That comes ahead of the anticipated April 21 easing of social-distancing rules, which limit restaurant hours and capacity, and have forced the temporary closure of venues including fitness centres, pubs, cinemas and public facilities.

But while daily infection numbers have dramatically fallen, they are still in their thousands. Figures for deaths remain stubbornly high. Vaccination, particularly with two jabs and then a booster shot, considerably lowers the risk of serious illness. Health Department statistics show that 96 per cent of the nearly 8,500 fatalities were aged 60 and older, the major reason since free vaccines were made available 14 months ago being failure to get immunised.

Immunity declines over time and increasing numbers of governments have launched programmes for second booster jabs for the elderly and those at risk. It is the best option until pharmaceutical companies including BioNTech, which has developed one of the two vaccines Hong Kong uses, have fully tested updated versions of their products that take into account variations of the virus. Authorities were quick to accept a recommendation by the city’s expert committee on the pandemic on Thursday that 60s and over should get another jab, as long as three months have elapsed since the third.

Advertisement

The Omicron strain moved at lightning speed around the world and Hong Kong was riven by an even more transmissible sub-variant that took a terrible toll among the elderly. Fortunately, early evidence shows that the higher the level of vaccination, the lower the risk of severe illness. But as much as pandemic-weary populations would wish the worst to be over, it is foolhardy to make such an assumption given how the disease mutates. Staying vigilant is a prerequisite, while ensuring people are immunised has to be the priority.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x