The Hong Kong Doctors Union warned that the city’s Covid-19 booster programme is losing momentum, citing low uptake among older adults and high-risk groups and limited access to vaccines in the community.

According to the latest statistics from the Centre for Health Protection, only 717 Covid-19 booster doses were administered last month.

Over the past 12 months, a total of 47,828 Covid-19 vaccines were administered in Hong Kong, said Ivan Hung, chair of infectious diseases and vaccinology in the department of medicine at the University of Hong Kong.

Of these, 46,119 went to people aged 50 or above.

Based on a population of about 3.62 million in that age range, the doses equate to only about 1.27 percent – reflecting a low vaccination rate among older adults.

A questionnaire by the union found that 79 percent of the 300 doctors surveyed considered vaccination among older adults unsatisfactory.

Nearly 40 percent said they did not proactively remind patients about Covid-19 jabs, while almost 60 percent of these doctors cited not having vaccines on hand.

Hung warned that Hong Kong has annual Covid-19 seasonality and that the disease should not be taken lightly.

"We expect the next surge to happen in probably a year's time, and when the antibodies drop to a low level, then there will be another surge of Covid," he said.

Hung pointed to data from the centre showing that there had been more than 170 severe cases or deaths in the recent period, describing the figure as large for high-risk individuals.

He said access is a key barrier.

Only 58 public vaccination points, the union noted, remain at present and just 18 private clinics are designated Covid-19 vaccination stations, compared with the more than 1,000 private clinics offering flu jabs under the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme.

Many people think Covid-19 is a relatively mild disease, Hung said, but high-risk groups do need boosters every six months.

The union called for routine Covid-19 vaccine supplies under the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme, one-stop flu and Covid-19 jabs at family doctor clinics, and stronger public education.

Hung stressed the importance of making the process simple, especially for older adults.

"The current vaccination programme could be similar to that of the flu vaccination; that means that if you want to get a Covid-19 booster, then you don't need to get registered online," he said.

"We just simply walk into a general practice and get vaccinated, similar to that of the flu shot, and the criteria for getting a Covid-19 shot should be similar to that of the flu shot, then that makes things easier for both the doctors and the older adults."

Medical professionals urged priority groups to receive updated vaccines on time to maintain immune protection, with such groups including the elderly, those with chronic diseases, those who are expecting and healthcare workers.



Edited by Tony Sabine