So the government now plans to offer covid vaccines to asylum-seekers, but only starting from July. And it will have to destroy a huge stockpile of jabs in August.

What is going on here?

If you vaccinate one person, you don’t just protect them from coronavirus, you also greatly reduce the chance they may pass the infection onto dozens of others. You don’t need to be an eminent epidemiologist or infectious disease expert to understand that this is simple, undeniable logic. And the more people you vaccinate more quickly, the better. It doesn’t matter where they are from or why they are here.

A few months ago, I wrote to the Civil Service Bureau, which is in charge of the vaccination program, asking why asylum-seekers here are not being offered shots. I pointed out that there has been a very low rate of vaccinations among the general population, and that we have no shortage of doses. I also pointed out that offering refugees shots doesn’t just protect them, but reduces the risk of them transmitting more infections among Hong Kong residents and the general community.

That was back in March. Well, it seems our officials have finally seen the light. Last week the government announced that it is “preparing to provide vaccinations to about 13,000 non-refoulement claimants and refugees recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees”.

The press release also said, “From a public health perspective, providing vaccinations to them will not only protect them from infection, but will also prevent the spread of the virus in the community and thus enhance Hong Kong’s overall anti-epidemic capability.”

Hmm … that sounds rather familiar.

The press release went on to say “The government is currently conducting a survey through the International Social Service Hong Kong branch to assess their intention for receiving vaccination. The government plans to start providing vaccination for them from July.”

A survey? July? Seriously?

Also last week the government announced that it may have to throw away 2 million Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines as they will expire within three months. The vaccines have gone unused because of the very low uptake rate here – so far only about 15 percent of people have had both shots.

So we have a stockpile of unused vaccines that are going to expire in August, yet the government only plans to start offering jabs to asylum-seekers in July. This is just ridiculous. We should be offering shots to anyone who wants them, and as fast as possible.

And why the need for a survey? This is insane bureaucracy. Offer vaccines to asylum-seekers now, before they expire, and before more people get sick or die from covid-19.

(Alex Price is a journalist who has lived and worked in Hong Kong for over 30 years.)

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