A solid number of seniors who have had three Covid jabs believe wrongly there is no need for another one.
A survey by the Hong Kong Lung Foundation, the Hong Kong Thoracic Society and Chest Delegation Hong Kong and Macau interviewed 1,027 people above 60 and found many held misconceptions about Covid and vaccines.
Lung Foundation chairman James Ho Chung-man said 89.6 percent of respondents said they were triple-jabbed while 29.5 percent had received four jabs compared to an official figure of 77 percent and 15 percent respectively. But Ho said the rates are still not high enough for more complete protection within a society.
Law Wai-lam, honorary secretary of the HKTS, said the Department of Health and the World Health Organization have said the elderly should receive four jabs to enhance protection.
More than 30 percent of the elderly also believe Covid is similar to the common cold, and some thought an allergy and irregular heartbeats are common side effects of the vaccine.
Ho urged people above 60 to receive a fourth jab and the flu vaccine as soon as possible, especially for those with respiratory diseases.
Meanwhile, authorities have conducted 29 parent-children workshops at kindergartens over the past three months to encourage parents to have their kids vaccinated.
Some parents said they would be more willing to take their children to get a jab after hearing more information.
They included the mother of a two-yearold girl, who explained: “Children below two have to receive many other vaccines at private clinics, including against Japanese encephalitis and Hepatitis A. I was worried children cannot bear receiving so many types of vaccines.
“But now since I understand the severity of Covid I’m more willing to take my daughter to get vaccinated.”
Hong Kong yesterday recorded 7,736 cases – 7,212 local and 524 imported. There were also 13 related deaths.
Mainland authorities reported 24,000 infections, with Guangdong carrying the heaviest caseload. Among 9,538 Guangdong cases 9,284 were in Guangzhou, and a lockdown of the city’s Haizhu district has been extended to tomorrow night.
Lung Foundation chairman James Ho Chung-man said 89.6 percent of respondents said they were triple-jabbed while 29.5 percent had received four jabs compared to an official figure of 77 percent and 15 percent respectively. But Ho said the rates are still not high enough for more complete protection within a society.
Law Wai-lam, honorary secretary of the HKTS, said the Department of Health and the World Health Organization have said the elderly should receive four jabs to enhance protection.
More than 30 percent of the elderly also believe Covid is similar to the common cold, and some thought an allergy and irregular heartbeats are common side effects of the vaccine.
Ho urged people above 60 to receive a fourth jab and the flu vaccine as soon as possible, especially for those with respiratory diseases.
Meanwhile, authorities have conducted 29 parent-children workshops at kindergartens over the past three months to encourage parents to have their kids vaccinated.
Some parents said they would be more willing to take their children to get a jab after hearing more information.
They included the mother of a two-yearold girl, who explained: “Children below two have to receive many other vaccines at private clinics, including against Japanese encephalitis and Hepatitis A. I was worried children cannot bear receiving so many types of vaccines.
“But now since I understand the severity of Covid I’m more willing to take my daughter to get vaccinated.”
Hong Kong yesterday recorded 7,736 cases – 7,212 local and 524 imported. There were also 13 related deaths.
Mainland authorities reported 24,000 infections, with Guangdong carrying the heaviest caseload. Among 9,538 Guangdong cases 9,284 were in Guangzhou, and a lockdown of the city’s Haizhu district has been extended to tomorrow night.