Hong Kong Continues with Covid19 Containment Strategy Even Though Local Expert Says 70% Vaccination Rate Will Not Be Enough

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. 

Hong Kong Lags Behind Global Pace of COVID19 Vaccinations, Only 27% Fully Vaccinated

Only about 30% of Hong Kong's population has received a second Covid19 dose since the program started offering free vaccines nearly a year ago. 

In Hong Kong's continuing struggle to urge an apathetic public into getting a shot to protect them against strains of the virus, government data reveals that Hong Kong is well under the mass adoption levels needed to offer herd immunity. 

A total of 4.4 million doses of the vaccine have been administered Source: Hong Kong Government

Government data shown in the Hong Kong Vaccination Dashboard reveal that 1.8 million or about 26.9% of the city's population have received their second dose. 

While Hong Kong struggles to obtain the 67-70% vaccination rate that medical experts say is needed to help global attempts to secure herd immunity, local officials and even private businesses have tried their best to ramp up doses. 

There have been lucky draws meant to draw attention to vaccinations. One property management company was even giving away a multi-million dollar house in one of the luxury high rises in the city. 

Criticism of the government effort has centered on what seem to be arbitrary quarantine rules and dosage requirements. While visitors and Hong Kong locals who make it into the city from some areas are told they need to quarantine for up to 21 days (and pay for their own hotel rooms during the stay), some residents returning from China, for example, are not required to quarantine for that length of time and can also choose to self-isolate with family in their own homes. 

With no discernible difference between the treatment given to vaccinated and the non-vaccinated, as well, there hasn't been a consisten reason to get vaccinated. And this may contribute to the lagging rates in vaccinations compared to other cities and countries globally.