Hong Kong No Need To Rush For 4th Covid Jab: Expert

A government adviser on Covid-19 vaccinations said there’s no need for Hong Kong to rush into arranging a fourth jab for the public, saying the pandemic will end only if vaccines are more evenly distributed around the world.

Professor Lau Yu-lung, who chairs the scientific committee on vaccine preventable diseases, said one should look at the whole picture, instead of just focusing on Hong Kong.

“We shouldn’t just look at Hong Kong, or just look at the country, but the entire world. The [World Health Organisation] had already said so, and other experts and myself have said it as well: for the pandemic to end, not only the rich countries have to reach a 70 or 80 percent take-up rate. The entire world, especially African countries that currently only have a 10 percent vaccination rate, they have to reach 70 to 80 percent for the pandemic to come to an end,” he told an RTHK programme.

“If we are still so selfish, and only want for our people to have zero infections, or have fewer infections and fewer hospitalised cases, by giving the fourth, fifth and sixth jabs, other countries will not have the resources, and they will no longer donate vaccines or money,” he explained.

Lau added that Hong Kong should focus on boosting the take-up rate of first and second doses for the elderly, and look at the possibility of inoculating younger children.