Shorten grace period to boost elderly jab rate, health expert suggests

A health expert on Wednesday suggested the SAR government shorten the grace period for people to receive the third dose of the Covid vaccine from six months to three months, in order to boost the elderly vaccination rate.   

The government had earlier announced that when the third stage of the Vaccine Pass kicks in on May 31, there will be a grace period of six months for persons aged 12 or above to receive the third dose after their second.   

Speaking on a radio program this morning, infectious diseases expert Ho Pak-leung noted that only some 850,000 elderlies in Hong Kong have received their third dose of the Covid vaccine, a vaccination rate of only 42 percent.   

He said shortening the grace period would encourage more people - especially the elderly - to get their third jab, with a target of boosting the elderly vaccination rate to 70 percent before July.   

The microbiologist also said new variants of the coronavirus will eventually make their way into the city, with the city’s epidemic situation likely to rebound drastically by then.   

“Hong Kong has to take preventive measures as soon as possible to prevent the same mistakes during the city’s fifth wave of Covid outbreak from happening again,” Ho added.