Lawmaker urges compulsory inoculation of the elderly

A Hong Kong lawmaker and deputy to the National People’s Congress said on Sunday that Covid vaccination for the elderly should be made compulsory.

Speaking on Commercial Radio, Dennis Lam said medics could be sent out to inoculate them.

“Infections among the elderly will make it even harder to control the epidemic, as they can also infect people around them,” Lam said.

“Under these circumstances, it’s worth considering mandating them to get inoculated. We could also arrange outreach teams to give them the jab.”

The latest government figures show that while 90 percent of Hong Kong’s population has now received at least one shot of a Covid vaccine, only about 78 percent of those aged between 70 and 79 have. The figure is even lower for those aged 80 or above.