Gao Benn Chen Deguang:
The immune barrier has been built without the need for vaccines
Controversy has arisen since the implementation of the vaccine passport. Gao Benn, Chair Professor of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing School of Medicine, Hong Kong University, and Chen Deguang, Honorary Assistant Professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing School of Medicine, Hong Kong University, pointed out in the article that according to the School of Public Health, more than 4 million people have been infected with Omicron BA in the fifth wave so far. .2; Relying on the high vaccination rate and the herd immunity barrier built following a large number of infections, the fifth wave is gradually fading and will end in a few weeks, depending on the level of herd immunity in Hong Kong, at this time, the establishment of the immune barrier through vaccine passports has been lost. Significance, further “Valley needle” will not have a significant impact on the future community infection cases of the epidemic.
The article pointed out that citizens have the right to refuse injections under the principle of “informed consent”, but when young adults must use a vaccine passport in their daily life, it is almost impossible for them to refuse vaccination. The nature of the policy is no different from compulsory vaccination. , the policy severely restricts individual freedom and essentially outlaws the principle of “informed consent”.
Ninety percent of adults under 60 have had two injections
low risk of severe death
The article goes on to mention that deaths under the age of 60 account for only 4% of the fifth wave of deaths. Young adults in this age group who have not received injections are already at lower risk of severe illness and death, and more than 90% have received at least two injections. Due to the vaccination rate and the natural immunity generated by the fifth wave, it can be expected that only a very small number of young adults will become severely ill and die in the future. It is hard to say that it will bring down the medical system. Considering the immune barrier that Hong Kong has built, it is hard to say that further targeting of young adults to clear or maintain the medical system will be of obvious benefit.
They called on the public, especially the elderly, to get 3 or 4 injections to protect themselves and their families, but they did not agree with the government’s continued use of “coercive” policies on young adults. Faced with the highest risk of severe illness and death, although the “guzheng needle” will not help control the number of infections in the future, the vaccination plan should focus on improving the vaccination coverage rate of the elderly. If the vaccination rate of the elderly is still low, there will be a Section is reasonable.
push up vaccination rates
Xu Shuchang: Vaccines must be maintained
Xu Shuchang, a government expert consultant and chair professor of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at CUHK, said that the third vaccination rate in Hong Kong is only 50%, which is described as “unsafe” and needs to be raised to at least 70%. If people under 60 years old do not need a vaccine pass, they will There is no intention to get a third shot, and the public feels that the vaccine passport is not important. He said that antibodies will drop over time following two injections. Many people under the age of 60 belong to high-risk groups in frontline work, such as restaurant workers, container truck drivers and medical staff, and it is necessary to maintain the vaccine pass requirement to push up the vaccination rate , it is also difficult to implement by age groups. He emphasized that “we need to look at the overall situation”, the mainland insists on dynamic clearing, and Hong Kong also plans to continue to relax social distancing measures and resume customs clearance. If the vaccine passport is relaxed, “a lot of loopholes will be created.”
Ming Pao reporter
(Coronavirus)
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