Health pass 'could lead' to strains and pains

A system that will bar people who have not been inoculated from entering certain premises may backfire, a health expert warns as he urges authorities to instead promote the benefits of vaccination.

This followed Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen saying a "health pass" system similar to one in France could be introduced in Hong Kong to achieve the new target of vaccinating "every eligible person."

Respiratory specialist Leung Chi-chiu said yesterday that the pass system could be seen as making inoculation compulsory and provoke resentment from those who have not been vaccinated.

"If premises provide necessary daily services it may be seen as a policy for mandating jabs and induce a backlash from affected people," Leung warned.

And it could affect the provision of public services, he added, "like when authorities adopted a full-day dining-in ban last year and working people had to have lunch but were forced to sit on the streets to eat. It's not a good thing."

Another problem, Leung said, is the lack of public confidence in Covid vaccinations as people have questions and reservations on adverse effects.

He said forcing people to get jabbed could put mental pressure on them, especially elderly people.

"If elderly people are worried, scared and have a psychological burden, bad things could happen to them regardless of whether they accept the shots or not," he said.

Leung called for authorities to think twice on the health pass idea. For instance, elderly people should not be forced to take the shots, Leung said. Instead, authorities should explain to them the benefits of a higher vaccine coverage in the community.

"A clear and consistent message that only those with serious and acute chronic disease should avoid the vaccine should be conveyed to elderly people," he added. And they should be told they should get the jabs as early as possible if they are not in that category.

Leung rejected claims that the German-made BioNTech/Fosun vaccine is safer for seniors than the Beijing-made Sinovac shot.

"We've only seen a higher ratio of serious adverse events in elderly Sinovac recipients because more people in that age group opt for that brand," he said, adding both are safe.

Leung said social distancing measures should not be relaxed as the SAR continues to record imported cases involving the highly infectious Delta variant.

"Many places around the world are hit by Delta outbreaks," he said. "We should only discuss border reopening with places where the virus is as well controlled as Hong Kong."

Another expert in infectious diseases, Ho Pak-leung of the University of Hong Kong, said a health pass may have to be introduced one day as a means to pump up vaccine coverage.

"The government should consider the impacts on unvaccinated people but also the interests of the entire population," he said.

A health pass is worth considering, he said, "if it's based on a high risk of Covid outbreaks and to further drive up inoculation."

As of Sunday, 4.1 million people - 60 percent of Hong Kong's 6.84 million population above 12 - had received at least one dose of vaccine, with 1.51 million taking Sinovac and 2.59 million BioNTech.

Of the total, 3.37 million - 49.2 percent - had received two doses.

Also yesterday, Hong Kong recorded three imported infections, from Egypt and Turkey. Two had been fully vaccinated with either the Sinovac or BioNTech in Hong Kong.

jane.cheung@singtaonewscorp.com

Editorial: Take the middle road on jab passes