Coronavirus Hong Kong: health workers take vaccination push directly to elderly residents in bid to boost low take-up rate
- Vaccinations are offered at community hall in Kwai Hing as part of new campaign to convince older residents to get inoculated
- City records just two new infections, both imported and involving arrivals from Kenya and Pakistan
Some of the older residents who took the jabs at Shek Lei Estate in Kwai Hing on Thursday cited different reasons for finally deciding to take the step, including convenience and a desire to eventually travel. A man in his 90s was simply there to collect HK$200 (US$25) in free supermarket coupons being offered by a collection of organisations to the vaccinated elderly.
“I am poor so that’s why [I’m getting the vouchers],” he said. “I was told by a district councillor [about the programme today] … I have diabetes.”
While the take-up rate among younger Hongkongers has hit as high as 70 per cent, the figure for those aged 80 or above has hovered around 13 per cent. Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, who is in charge of the city’s vaccination effort, said he hoped to boost that number with the new coordinated effort by the bureau and other community groups.
“We understand that some elderly people do not know how to access the internet and some may be worried, so we try to go to the community in a way that is convenient for them,” said Nip, who stopped by the community hall. “We have health care workers explaining that they can receive the vaccine without worries.”
The government will set up vaccination stations at Queen Elizabeth, Tuen Mun and Queen Mary hospitals next week, he said.
The city confirmed two new cases on Thursday, involving arrivals from Kenya and Pakistan, while fewer than 10 people tested preliminary-positive. The overall tally of infections stood at 12,168 cases, with 213 related deaths.
Lukewarm response at vaccination centres as walk-in scheme opens
The Centre for Health Protection is also investigating the case of a 52-year-old woman, who had taken two shots of the Chinese-made Sinovac, and tested negative for the coronavirus in Hong Kong but then positive after arriving in Britain. She stayed at the Butterfly On Prat Boutique Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui during the incubation period of the disease.
Medical experts have said that while vaccines do not offer total protection against infection, they vastly reduce the severity of the illness and likelihood of death.
At the community hall at Shek Lei Estate, Wong Yiu-kwok, a 68 year-old property agent, said he waited for 30 minutes to receive his jab.
“The doctor was telling us that if we have the three highs [high blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol], we can still be vaccinated,” he said.
“I was not scared but my family did not allow me to get the shots as they were worried about the side effects … I did register before but they asked me to cancel it.”
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Another resident, 83, said he decided to get inoculated so he could visit his relatives in mainland China.
“I hope I can travel to the mainland after getting the shots when the border opens,” he said. “I was a bit scared at first. But I’m vaccinated anyway so I cannot be too scared.”
By 6pm, 260 people had received their jabs at the hall, which will continue to offer the jabs until Saturday.
According to the latest recommendation from the joint scientific committees under the health protection centre, the elderly should receive the Covid-19 vaccination as soon as possible, as long as they are not suffering from acute illnesses.
Meanwhile, more than 100 elderly people were vaccinated during an event held by the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society Kowloon in Kwun Chung Sports Centre in Kwun Chung Municipal Services Building.
