Govt to boost elderly vaccination rate

March 25, 2022

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:

It is now very obvious and very clear that the one single reason for the high mortality (rate) of elderly people (during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic) in Hong Kong is the low vaccination rate. Because all the facts and statistics locally and worldwide have shown that the COVID-19 vaccine is very effective in preventing critical illness and avoiding deaths.

I am afraid that there could be no looking back. Since late February last year when we started the Government Vaccination Programme, the focus was always on the elderly. We actually started with the elderly before allowing the younger adults to get the jabs. We can only say it is unfortunate for the whole of Hong Kong, to (have missed) what we now call the golden opportunity to get the old people vaccinated in time to prevent this tragic incident.

And that is why I was very aggrieved and actually very angry, when as recently as a few days ago a local newspaper was still presenting headlines which were misleading, which immediately gave the old people, their relatives, and the whole community the wrong message of getting Sinovac (jabs).

I am shouldering the primary responsibility for the fight against the epidemic. But everyone should also bear in mind that Hong Kong is a very free and very diverse society. And there are a lot of forces at work to prevent the Government from doing what should have been done - in this case, vaccinating our old people. But we will continue (to) do it. We have set very clear targets to achieve. We are visiting all the elderly (care) homes again for a second and third time in the coming month.

(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said the Government will continue to boost the COVID-19 vaccination rate among senior citizens despite the challenges it has encountered as it strives to reach a vaccination rate of 90% as soon as possible.

At the daily press conference this morning, Mrs Lam pointed out that the sole reason for the high motality rate among Hong Kong’s elderly population during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic is the low vaccination rate.

She further stressed that all the facts and statistics locally and worldwide have shown that the COVID-19 vaccine is very effective in preventing critical illness and avoiding deaths.

The Chief Executive said it is unfortunate that Hong Kong has missed what people now call the golden opportunity to get seniors vaccinated in time to prevent this tragic incident.

“I am afraid that there could be no looking back. Since late February last year when we started the Government Vaccination Programme, the focus was always on the elderly. We actually started with the elderly before allowing the younger adults to get the jabs.

“That is why I was very aggrieved and actually very angry, when as recently as a few days ago a local newspaper was still presenting headlines which were misleading, which immediately gave the old people, their relatives, and the whole community the wrong message of getting Sinovac (jabs).

“I am shouldering the primary responsibility for fighting the epidemic. But everyone should also bear in mind that Hong Kong is a very free and very diverse society. And there are a lot of forces at work to prevent the Government from doing what should have been done - in this case, vaccinating our old people.

“But we will continue to do it. We have set very clear targets to achieve.”

Workers will be deployed to visit elderly care homes again in the coming month to encourage senior citizens to get vaccinated or receive their second and third doses, she added.