How to Push Unvaccinated to get Jab

Crowded areas may need vaccine passport to get in, like MTR

The Hong Kong government is finally -- FINALLY considering having residents use a vaccine passport to do their daily necessities, from taking public transport to entering shopping malls in a bid to boost the vaccination rate in the city.

There were 115 cases recorded today of which 111 were locally transmitted while four were imported. Of the local cases, six were untraceable. About 80 people have tested preliminary positive which will show up in tomorrow's case numbers.

With a sixth straight day of triple digit case numbers, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has set the vaccination target at 90 percent. Currently 79.1 percent of the population has had at least one dose.

Transport workers worry of chaos using passport

However there will be fears of transportation chaos if people must show their vaccination records before getting on a bus, minibus, taxi or MTR. Can you imagine the long lines and short tempers? It would be an absolute nightmare for public transport workers having to bear the brunt of the frustration.

But this might have to be done in order to push people to get the jab. It is forceful, but vaccination is the only way out of this pandemic. Refusing to get the jab not only puts the unvaccinated person in jeopardy in terms of their health, but also impacts others around them, though they don't think of it that way at all.

Others say their doctors have advised them against getting it, not wanting to be responsible for side effects, especially those with chronic illnesses, or the elderly. That really doesn't help the rest of us. We have to think in terms of the greater good.

Already in several North American cities people have to show their vaccination records in order to eat in a restaurant, work out in the gym or attend a concert. 

Leave Home Safe app used more often now

Today a friend opened his bar and I had time before 6pm (when bars and restaurants close) to take a quick peek. At the door I not only scanned the Leave Home Safe app, but also had to show my vaccination record, which threw me back, but I complied. 

Everyone else was maskless and having a good time with the loud dance music, while I kept my mask on practically the whole time (15 minutes). I wondered if this was the future of Hong Kong post-Covid, that as long as everyone showed their proof of vaccination people could party...

Nevertheless, Chinese University public health professor Kwok Kin-on thinks pushing people to get vaccinated in order to use public transport and enter supermarkets is too extreme, and that the vaccine passport should be introduced gradually to avoid the public rejecting the scheme.

"If we can achieve our goal of boosting the vaccination rate without taking extreme measures, then it will not be necessary [to include all major public places]," Kwok said, adding that the requirement for vaccine passports at restaurants from February 24 could push many people to get their first jab.

In Vancouver must show vaccine record to eat out

One would think, but my relatives still refuse to get it, fearing the side effects it could cause. They claim they don't have to eat in restaurants, but that would mean forever. They don't seem to get that Covid is here for the long term and we have to adapt to it whether we like it or not.

Meanwhile the rest of us who are vaccinated and boosted are tired and want to move onto the next level. Why should people who have been jabbed have to wait for the rest to catch up? There should be advantages to having been inoculated, but so far the government doesn't seem to think they need to be rewarded (which is a serious blunder on its part).

Restaurants and hotels will be struggling for the next few months, waiting for Omicron to settle down, and also for everyone else to get vaccinated. Again the government squandered precious time to get people vaccinated, but hopefully with the current fifth wave nearing its peak that residents will be concerned about their own health to finally -- FINALLY get the jab.