Covid 'now endemic in HK'

Covid-19 has become endemic in Hong Kong, according to government expert adviser David Hui Shu-cheong, who believes it is likely impossible to eradicate it.

The reading by the respiratory expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong came yesterday as the SAR recorded two Covid deaths and 313 infections compared to 290 cases on Tuesday.

The professor noted that many countries - including Singapore, where vaccination coverage is much higher than in the SAR - are also unable to achieve a zero infection situation, with Covid becoming endemic.

"We can see that the daily caseload is still dropping slowly after [infection numbers] have been reduced to three digits," he said of Hong Kong.

"After a massive outbreak it is unlikely the coronavirus will disappear within a short period because many asymptomatic people could be carrying the virus around the community without knowing it themselves.

"The level of antibodies generated by a vaccine drops as time passes. With Omicron being so powerful it's very likely endemic, and the virus will continue to exist in the community."

A disease is rated endemic when found regularly in an area. That is so with dengue fever - spread via mosquitoes. And measles are commonly classified as endemic around the world.

But the World Health Organization warned in March that even when a disease becomes endemic "it may still cause suffering and death, as malaria and tuberculosis do." So governments had to reduce infections, serious illnesses and deaths.

Hui noted that the SAR did not see an obvious rebound of infections after the first phase of relaxed social distancing measures on April 21. So it was reasonable to proceed to the next stage of easing.

He also said Hong Kong must understand thoroughly the Chinese National Health Commission's anti-Covid strategies before border reopening talks, which he believes may resume shortly amid a stabilization of case numbers in the SAR.

Hong Kong authorities have been following the mainland anti-epidemic strategies, he noted. But mainland authorities adjusted their approaches continuously with outbreaks, from "zero infection" to "dynamic zero" to the current "zero infection on the community level." He also said SAR authorities may not launch compulsory territory-wide testing at this stage as the pandemic situation has stabilized.

John Lee Ka-chiu, the prospective new chief executive, said in a forum on Saturday that he will strive to discuss a border reopening with mainland authorities, but one of the conditions is for Hong Kong to reach a 90-percent second jab coverage.

As of Tuesday, 6.64 million Hongkongers, or 91.2 percent of citizens, had received at least one Covid shot.

But only 6.16 million (84.7 percent) were double-jabbed. Among the 480,000 with one dose, 110,000 had their first shots just last month and are awaiting second jabs.

On that, respiratory specialist Leung Chi-chiu said it will take another two to three months for at least 90 percent of SAR population to be double jabbed.

Some people did not report their infections, he added, "and they may worry about side effects knowing they have been infected. These people may delay their jabs."

Infectious disease expert Ho Pak-leung of the University of Hong Kong said it would be more feasible for the SAR to reopen borders to international travelers than to the mainland because at least 180 countries have canceled their Covid restrictions and quarantine requirements for arrivals.

And the SAR, as an international financial hub, should catch up with them. He said the community will inevitably be exposed to sporadic infections, but it should not affect Hospital Authority services as long as the ratio of serious illness was not high.

Also yesterday, the Civil Service Bureau announced the closure of five community vaccination centers from May 23 as the demand for jabs has gone down over the past several weeks.

The center at the University of Hong Kong's Lok Yew Hall will close on May 23 while it will be June 1 at Central Library in Causeway Bay, Kowloon Bay Sports Centre, the Education Bureau's Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre and at Tsuen Wan Sports Centre.

Twenty-one centers including 16 offering the BioNTech vaccine and five the Sinovac vaccine will continue services.