Differing Vaccine Strategies

Hong Kong has consistently encouraged people to get jabbed

Today is the 900th day Hong Kong has dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic. 

What a milestone.

The city recorded 2,791 cases yesterday, with hospitalisations and critical care cases climbing steeply.

In this context the new Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau says Hong Kong is mulling adopting the health code now used on the mainland and Macau.

Lo considering China health code system in HK

He said the measure was justified, as the government was looking for ways to avoid further tightening of social-distancing measures.

Just another step in dragging Hong Kong closer to the mainland...

Meanwhile in British Columbia where the population is 5.2 million compared to Hong Kong's 7.3 million, the former reported 765 cases from June 26-July 2. The week before it was 620 cases.

There is also a steep 35 percent jump in hospitalisations compared to the week earlier.

In BC 91 percent of residents have had two shots.

In Hong Kong anyone can get inoculated anytime as long as they book an appointment online, and they are strongly advised to get the fourth dose.

British Columbia is taking a bizarre approach -- Dr Penny Ballem, head of the province's immunisation program announced yesterday that the big push for the fourth shot would launch in the fall, when the current third wave of Omicron is at its highest. 

People below 70 wait until fall for 2nd booster

It is believed at that time the newest vaccines will be available, which can not only fight the newest variants, but also the original Covid-19.

Only those who are 70 years old and older are eligible to get the second booster now, while the rest of us have to wait, which is very frustrating.

Some people have taken to social media to complain that they need the fourth shot now because they have immunocompromised parents who they look after or live with, or they themselves have health issues, or they just want to get the vaccine in their arm for some assurances they will be OK if they are infected.

Why can't people who want to have the second booster, get it before the third Omicron wave is at its highest?

But BC health authorities are ignoring these people, and instead want those who haven't had their first booster to do that. Every other province in Canada is encouraging people to get their second booster.

However, the BC government had to dump 200,000 doses of the vaccine because some people didn't want their third or fourth shots...

Ballem says third Omicron wave is in BC

Many people in BC are over Covid-19 even though this latest strain is more contagious; health authorities are highly recommending masks indoors in places like supermarkets and public transit, and washing hands thoroughly and often.

And with summer sort of here (it keeps raining periodically and temperatures are hardly scorching), people even more so don't want to wear a mask.

Hello? What about the rest of us who want that fourth dose now?

It boggles the mind... at least in Hong Kong vaccines are readily available regardless of which dose you're on. They would rather you have a vaccine in your arm than none at all. 

And those of us who had our shots in December and January, Dr Horatio Bach, a UBC clinical assistant professor says those who have only had two shots offered "very little or zero protection" against Omicron BA.5 variant in Israel where second boosters were rolled out in January.

I'd rather have a fourth and then fifth shot soon after than have to wait another until the fall.

Or am I being overly cautious?