While countries like the US and the UK are moving away from a zero case and lockdown-driven COVID19 strategy, local experts in Hong Kong warn that 70% vaccination rate will not be enough to change the pandemic strategy for the city.
We could be seeing the same zero tolerance policy and social distancing measures well into 2022.
The reason for this, say experts, is that the government has done little to ensure strong vaccination rates in the elderly. Even with 70% of the population vaccinated, these groups will have still had very low vaccination rates and will be weak points in keeping Hong Kong from resurgences in Covid19 rates.
Then there is the matter of the potential "booster" needed for recipients of the two previous jabs. There are concerns that the Sinovac vaccine does not offer as strong protection as the other two mainstream vaccines.
All of this seems confusing for residents. If vaccination from Covid is not enough to ward off Covid, and if vaccination rates mean nothing, then why endure the strict policy of quarantine on arrival? Why not just stick with home quarantine and self-monitoring with rigorous testing? It seems that isolation and contact tracing work just as effective as vaccination does.
Even with less than full herd immunity and less than 70% vaccination rates, other countries are opening up. As a world city, and one with a huge percentage of financial and trade jobs, Hong Kong needs to be a place that can endure the comings and goings of foreigners. Likewise, residents need to be able to travel for business.
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