Lam Suggests Privileges for Those Vaccinated

Lam announces new measures today for those vaccinated

As of today 578,900 people or 7.7 percent of Hong Kong's 7.8 million residents have gotten the first Covid-19 vaccine, and 255,900 have gotten fully vaccinated, it's still slow going.

Today a mask-less Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor tried to entice the public to get their jabs by suggesting restrictions could be lifted for those who have had at least one jab, and more privileges for those who've had two.

Vaccinated staff and customers enjoy benefits

For example, if a restaurant's staff and customers have all had the first jab, then they could seat six to a table and could possible open to midnight. And if the staff and diners have the second jab, then two weeks later they could seat up to 12 people per table in a "clean zone" and eat until 2am. 

Banquets could have up to 100 people.

She hinted that if people get vaccinated, then places like karaoke lounges, party rooms and bars could reopen.

However, people would also need to use the LeaveHomeSafe app -- no more paper forms. A lot of people are not going to be happy with this measure, as they don't trust the government nor the app in its promises of not storing private information.

"This so-called vaccine bubble is very much based on the individual behaviour or the [behaviour of the] group of individuals, or the venue-based group of individuals," Lam explained. 

Only 7.7 percent of the population is vaccinated

"So if you have been vaccinated and all the staff in the restaurant have been vaccinated, then they can enjoy the relaxed measures in terms of the number of customers per table and the operating hours.

"We do not have to wait until everybody or a certain percentage of Hong Kong people have been vaccinated," Lam said.

However, she seems to have forgotten that people under 30 years of age cannot be part of these "vaccine bubbles" because they are not yet eligible for the jab.

When the media pointed this out to the Chief Executive, her response was: "Even if they can't dine in, they can go to the cinema. I am not limiting those to cinemas needs to receive a vaccination."

HUH?

So people under 30 should go to the movies and not eat in a restaurant?