Coronavirus: first-dose vaccination rate among Hong Kong elderly plunged 85 per cent in past 3 weeks, data shows. Should we be worried?
- Trend raises questions about whether health care system would be stretched further if social-distancing rules eased
- Social workers and doctors say reduced rate could be due to elderly missing appointments because of infections, or fear of going out and catching virus
The daily number of elderly Hongkongers getting their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine has plunged by 85 per cent over the past three weeks, data reviewed by the Post shows, raising concerns the city’s health care system could be stretched further if social-distancing measures are eased.
Social workers and doctors said they believed the recent drop in the vaccination rate of older residents was due to the need to isolate because of their Covid-19 infection or that of family members, as well as the fear of catching the coronavirus outside.
According to the vaccination data, the general downward trend in people receiving their first shot started in late February, with the daily figure dropping from around 40,000 to roughly 8,000 by Wednesday.
The pattern was also seen among elderly people aged 70 or above – the high-risk group – who medical experts said should be given priority in vaccination to protect them from serious conditions or even death.
There were more than 7,000 people aged 70 or older getting their first dose on February 25, when the number of new confirmed cases first surpassed 10,000.
