Get jabs to avoid a fifth Covid wave: expert

The head of a medical concern group on Monday urged the public to get vaccinated to stave off a possible fifth wave of Covid-19 infections.

David Lam, the chairperson of Medical Conscience – who will run a vaccination centre – said the government should allow more people with chronic illness to be vaccinated.

On Sunday, authorities said they would expand the list of groups eligible for a vaccine – which presently includes people aged 60 and over, and workers in high-risk jobs such as in health, gym, and public transport sectors.

Lam said Hong Kong was slow to inoculate its population and he dismissed concern over adverse incidents following the jabs, urging the public not to jump to conclusions.

“You have to do the investigation, look at the numbers, compare it to the background, morbidity and mortality before you can tell, and so far all evidence doesn’t point to an increase in incidents of these complications after inoculations,” Lam said.

“So overall there is no hard and fast evidence that they are related.

Most recently around the world, Ireland and the Netherlands have suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine because of concern over reports of blood clots in Norwegian recipients. AstraZeneca has robustly defended its vaccine, and European and UK regulators have said the link with blood clots hasn’t been confirmed.

A government adviser on the pandemic last week described an outbreak linked to a Sai Ying Pun gym as a “symptom” of a fifth wave of Covid-19.