Vaccine advisor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai suggested the government push for mandatory vaccination, especially for elderly people, as he predicted the infection numbers to reach the ceiling by March.
Speaking on a radio program on Saturday, Hung, co-convener of the Expert Committee on Clinical Events Assessment Following Covid-19 Immunization, said the fifth wave will peak in early or mid-March with more deaths reported.
He continued that 90 percent of the deaths reported were unvaccinated, especially residents of elderly homes. He added that of the 240 infected patients now staying in Queen Mary Hospital, 80 percent are aged above 80, and 90 percent are not vaccinated.
Hung also recommended shortening the waiting time for youngsters aged five to 17 to receive their first and second vaccine doses from eight weeks to only four weeks. Yet, the jab must be administered on the outside of their thighs far from their hearts to reduce the chances of developing myocarditis, he pointed out.
As for toddlers aged zero to three, family members and close contacts should get the booster jabs to provide an immunity barrier, offering protection to the babies.
He noted that different studies have estimated at least 200,000 to 300,000 infected patients in the communities and said home isolation is safe for Covid patients who don't have any chronic disease. It takes about a week for most to recover.
When asked whose liability it is if any side effect develops following vaccination, Hung underlined that vaccination is very safe and said there are more deaths and symptoms following Covid infection, concluding that the protection the vaccine offers outweighs the side effect it brings.
Hung recognized the government treating citizens who test positive using a rapid testing kit as a confirmed case because the workload at the laboratories has "went off the chart," and it can speed up testing results.
He called on everyone aged above three to receive the vaccination.
He continued that 90 percent of the deaths reported were unvaccinated, especially residents of elderly homes. He added that of the 240 infected patients now staying in Queen Mary Hospital, 80 percent are aged above 80, and 90 percent are not vaccinated.
Hung also recommended shortening the waiting time for youngsters aged five to 17 to receive their first and second vaccine doses from eight weeks to only four weeks. Yet, the jab must be administered on the outside of their thighs far from their hearts to reduce the chances of developing myocarditis, he pointed out.
As for toddlers aged zero to three, family members and close contacts should get the booster jabs to provide an immunity barrier, offering protection to the babies.
He noted that different studies have estimated at least 200,000 to 300,000 infected patients in the communities and said home isolation is safe for Covid patients who don't have any chronic disease. It takes about a week for most to recover.
When asked whose liability it is if any side effect develops following vaccination, Hung underlined that vaccination is very safe and said there are more deaths and symptoms following Covid infection, concluding that the protection the vaccine offers outweighs the side effect it brings.
Hung recognized the government treating citizens who test positive using a rapid testing kit as a confirmed case because the workload at the laboratories has "went off the chart," and it can speed up testing results.
He called on everyone aged above three to receive the vaccination.