Coronavirus Hong Kong: why are elderly not getting vaccinated? Families, doctors and government not doing enough to tackle irrational fears and practical obstacles, say social workers
- While younger Hongkongers have largely embraced the inoculation drive, the majority of residents aged 80 and above are resisting
- Living alone with little outside contact, some worry what will happen if they develop complications, while others say they have no clear guidance from their doctors
Sit, who is single and lives alone in a public housing flat in Wong Tai Sin, said his decision was due to his lack of confidence in the government.
“The government has never truly taken consideration of the elderly in every single measure and policy it has carried out since the start of the pandemic,” he said.
Sit pointed to the mandatory use of the official “Leave Home Safe” Covid-19 risk-exposure app in restaurants and said he was only able to use the program after receiving a donated smartphone and being taught how to use it. He was also bothered by a new vaccine pass scheme, which will bar the unvaccinated from entering most public premises from February 24.
“I have lost trust in the government, so I have no confidence in its vaccination programme,” he said.
I’m so frustrated and don’t know what to do
Sit is not alone. Despite repeated urgent appeals by authorities and medical experts for the elderly to take a vaccine amid a record surge in infections, many elderly Hongkongers are resisting due to their concerns about the safety of the shots or lack of trust in the government, as well as opposition by concerned family members.