Time to Push for More Jabs

It's time to implement vaccine passports at restaurants

Hong Kong's restaurant industry is calling for the lifting of social-distancing restrictions in restaurants if the government rolls out the vaccine passport plan. That would mean only those who have been fully vaccinated would be allowed to dine in restaurants.

Some restaurateurs and owners agree, and that if everyone at the table is fully vaccinated then there should be no limit on how many people are at each table. 

From December 9 people must use the tracing app

But for now the government has plans to have rules from January where at least two-thirds of diners per table must have at least one jab. The other one-third would be for exemptions like young children or those with medical conditions with a doctor's note.

This regulation would also extend to karaoke bars, gaming centres, beauty parlours, gyms and clubhouses, and all staff would have to be fully vaccinated.

However some restaurateurs and owners would rather wait until the city's inoculation rate was at 80 percent before implementing the vaccine passport, as many of their patrons are elderly, the vast majority of whom aren't yet to get vaccinated.

"The catering sector will definitely take a beating of at least 20 percent if a vaccine passport is implemented, as some people may refrain from dining out if they can't come together with their unvaccinated elderly family members," said Tommy Cheung Yu-yan who represents the catering industry in the Executive Council.

How long can we wait till we get to 80 percent herd immunity? It will take us forever at this rate. Why can't Hong Kong be like countries such as Italy and Germany and prevent those who haven't be jabbed from entering restaurants and shops? It is time to put the pressure on these people, and not being able to go out and enjoy themselves would be a strong incentive, would it not?

Italy does not allow unvaccinated into restaurants

Yes, we have had zero cases for the past 60 days, all of us are wearing masks (well there are more lax people who are not covering their noses), but for the most part people are complying. But it's not helping the city in lifting social-distancing restrictions.

Why is the government suggesting two-thirds of diners at each table be vaccinated? Why not the whole hog? It clearly illustrates the authorities are tip-toeing around this issue and not willing to be even more strict about it. 

In the meantime Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor talks up what will happen when the borders open with China, but no indication of when.

How about announcing a date and that could possibly incentivise more people to get inoculated. As one colleague says, Hong Kong needs a string of infections to get people to realise we need more people to get vaccinated. 

As one infectious disease expert has said, vaccination is the only way out.

Hongkongers Sign up for HK$5K Vouchers

Some 1.55 million Hongkongers have signed up for vouchers

 

Today is the first day Hong Kong residents can sign up for the HK$5,000 (US$644) voucher and already 1.55 million people have done so.

People can sign up using an iAM Smart app, or not, and I chose the latter online. I was asked for my Hong Kong ID number, phone number and then choose which of the four payment platforms (Octopus, WeChat Pay HK, AlipayHK or Tap & Go) to have the money deposited in. 

It is to encourage people to use digital payment

If people sign up in the next two weeks, they can get their first monetary installment on August 1. There is a list of regulations of how the money is to be used -- for buying items or eating out, but not for paying government or hospital bills, or even for donating to charity, which is what some people did when they received the HK$10,000 cash last year.

The use of the electronic payments is also to push people to become more digital in their transactions, as Hong Kong is lagging behind China when it comes to electronic payments especially on phones.

Permanent residents and recent migrants from the mainland are eligible for the scheme.

Some people are cautious about how they are going to spend their money on their Octopus card that they are even getting an extra one just to use to get the HK$5,000. It seems excessive to be concerned the government won't give them the exact amount, or they want to be sure they have spent all the money first before getting the second installment -- but that's what the technology on the card will be tracking. People cannot get the next installment unless they have used up the previous one.

Businesses will also get in on enabling Octopus payments. What would really help would be for wet market stalls to enable Octopus payment,s as well as more taxis. I just think it would be amusing to go to a fine dining restaurant and pay the bill using an Octopus card. 

Imagine using your Octopus card at Gaddi's

Meanwhile some restaurants will start a scheme on July 15 to offer special discounts of 30 percent to those who are fully vaccinated in a bid to encourage more people to get the jab.

Executive councillor and lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan is the representative of the food and beverage sector and is coordinating the scheme. He hopes to convince many of the 16,000 restaurants in Hong Kong to take part.

"For restaurants, 30 percent discount is really a big offer and means they can't make any profit," he said. "But we just hope to set the momentum to attract more patrons to return to the dining scene."

The campaign, which runs until the end of August, will offer a 30 percent discount to groups of at least four people who are vaccinated.  

"This summer Hongkongers are still unable to travel overseas, so we expect they will spend a lot on dining," Cheung said, adding restaurants hope to benefit from the HK$5,000 voucher scheme.

More discounts for vaccinated diners

The list of participating restaurants will be posted online before July 15 and will be heavily promoted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Hong Kong and China Gas Company.

Maybe after that the gyms will offer promotions on losing weight from all that eating...

 

 

Vaccinated Night Owls can Party

Vaccinated diners can sit six to a table until midnight

Remember what it was like being in a bar? Or a nightclub, or karaoke lounge?

Finally after over four months, or basically a year of opening and closing, bars are allowed to re-open on April 29 until 2am and only two people per table. Karaoke lounges can have four people.

Night owls and wannabe warblers must be rejoicing! 

Cheung (centre) says government made concessions

However, all staff and customers must have had at least one dose of the vaccine. If staff claim medical reasons, they must fill out a government declaration form explaining why they can't get the jab, and be subjected to regular testing.

Executive councillor and lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, who represents the catering sector, said the reopening of bars would be reviewed every two weeks.

"The permanent secretary for food and health told us that if there were a lot of staff from the bar industry who cited medical reasons for failing to take the shots, further restrictions would not be ruled out," he said.

"For patrons who would like to visit bars, they have to get at least one vaccine jab."

He also said as government restrictions ease, the authorities are backing down on its insistence that all bars, restaurants, nightclubs and karaoke lounges must make their customers use the LeaveHomeSafe app. 

Zeman says the new measures are "baby steps"

Cheung said the government originally only wanted bars to open until midnight, but made concessions to allow them to operate until 2am to give bars a chance to survive (belatedly).

It's hard to see how the government can implement "vaccine bubbles" in restaurants, (four to a table until 10pm if not vaccinated and six to a table till midnight if vaccinated) when many are tiny eateries where you can't really social distance at all. 

Nevertheless, one of the happiest people today was Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman upon hearing the latest relaxing of measures. He said the government's "baby step" was a good start for the bar industry.

"The good thing is they listened to the industry and allowed businesses to open until 2am, which is a very important step... The important thing is for everyone to be safe," he said.

More jabs means less LeaveHomeSafe app

Today was also the first day those 16-29 years old could sign up for the BioNTech vaccine. One would have thought those spots would be filled up quickly, but except for the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, there's still many spots available.

Come on Hong Kong! What are you waiting for? The faster we all get jabs, more restrictions will be lifted. Or even better, there would be no need to use the LeaveHomeSafe app.

How about making that our end goal?