Vaccine pass infringes on freedom by forcing people into jabs - citizen filing judicial review

The “no jab, no entry vaccine pass” is challenged by a citizen who said imposing restrictions on unvaccinated but healthy citizens is discriminatory and unconstitutional, as he asked the court to revoke the policy set to take effect from Thursday next week.  

Instead of forcing people into the vaccines, authorities should promote a vegetarian diet, the reading of Buddhist scriptures, and enhancing one’s immunity by kind acts, the man said.  

Wong Tai Sin resident Chung Sung-wong filed the city’s first judicial review against vaccine policies to the High Court on Tuesday.  

Listing the Chief Executive’s Office as the respondent on the writ, Chung said citizens may contract Covid regardless of their vaccination status.  

He said limiting the freedom of unjabbed citizens infringes their rights, as people should have the right and freedom to choose not to get the shots.  

He said the vaccine pass creates discriminatory treatment for vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens, which hinders the public from fighting against the epidemic and working to revive the economy.  

Chung said authorities can even save resources and manpower if citizens choose not to get the jabs and battle the coronavirus with their own immunity, which he said is also in line with the Chinese value of thrift.  

He said authorities are responsible for taking care of citizens’ health. He suggested Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her cabinet refer to Buddhist scriptures and run her administration by traditional principles.  

He suggested “upgrading” citizens’ physical and mental health by asking them to “clean their bodies, observe fasting, adopt vegetarian diets, be merciful, respect nature, act with kindness, step up with positive education and host Buddhist ceremonies.”

The vaccine pass will take effect from Thursday next week. Unvaccinated citizens will be banned from entering restaurants and a wide range of premise including religious venues, shopping malls, supermakets, wet markets and hair salons.