Fifth jab for high-risk groups may come in November, says Yuen Kwok-yung

High-risk groups may receive the fifth Covid jab in November as their antibody levels can decrease below a level that provides adequate protection, government advisor Yuen Kwok-yung said.  

Speaking on a radio program on Friday morning, he said it's estimated that more than 90 percent of the city's population have immunity against the virus as they have either been infected or vaccinated, with the city now having built up a barrier against severe coronavirus cases.  

He said, however, that citizens' antibody levels will decrease with time, with most people required to get their fourth jab in November, whereas people of high-risk groups will get their fifth jab.  

Meanwhile, Yuen noted that the coronavirus cannot be eliminated or eradicated.  

"You can no longer eliminate or eradicate [the coronavirus], so you enter into another stage. We control it. It means that so long as you can keep the infections at a low level, it won't paralyze your medical system, while deaths and serious cases are kept to a minimum, then it's fine," the University of Hong Kong professor said.  

"So, Hong Kong's already entering that stage. I don't want to argue about some wordings about this; I don't want to get into an argument." He added.  

The microbiologist also called on those yet inoculated to "stop being stubborn" and get jabbed as soon as possible.