Different nations around the world are currently competing in a Covid-19 vaccine race. The higher the vaccination rate, the faster a country can achieve herd immunity and the earlier its economy can get back on track. A higher jab rate can even lead to a stronger stock market. So far this year, stock markets in Europe have been the best performers, whereas the stock markets of Japan, the Philippines and Malaysia, which have a low vaccination rate, have all been marked by their relatively poor performance.

Vaccination highlights the global disparity between the rich and the poor. So far European countries, the US and China have recorded the highest amounts of jabs administered, while the vaccination rate of many African countries is almost zero as they are still waiting for imported vaccines to arrive.

According to Our World In Data, a total of 2.255 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the world to date, 12.3 percent of the world population has had at least one dose, and 6.2 percent has had two jabs or is completely vaccinated. Among the 2.255 billion doses, China accounts for 845 million, the US 305 million, India 240 million, Brazil 76 million, the UK 70 million, Germany 59 million, France 43 million and Italy 41 million. Together, 1.68 billion doses have been administered in these eight countries, representing 75 percent of the world total. While China has publicized the total number of doses administered at home, no other data is available. Vaccines available in the mainland come with two doses. So far, less than 30 percent of the population has had two doses.

According to the Hong Kong government, a total of 2.84 million doses of vaccines have been administered, among which 1.67 million were first doses, representing about 22 percent of the local population, and 15 percent of the population has had a second dose. Recently, Professor Lam Tai-hing, a lecturer of the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health, said Hong Kong had almost the lowest vaccination rate in the world at about 20 percent and that Hongkongers should feel ashamed.

Excluding Europe and the US, Hong Kong’s vaccination rate actually ranks among the top developed countries or regions. Its full vaccination rate is much higher compared with Japan and South Korea, which have a rate of around five percent. It is also better than Canada and Brazil, which have a rate of about 10 percent. If Hongkongers should be ashamed of a vaccination rate of 20 percent, I would like to ask Professor Lam whether the majority of countries and regions in the world, which have yet to attain 10 percent, should also feel utterly ashamed.

It took less than a year for all the Covid-19 vaccines to be approved. They are exceptional products launched at an exceptional time. It is reasonable for people to have doubts. When dispensing their advice, stock market experts like to emphasize that “stock prices can go up and down”. It is a disclaimer. The same goes to doctors who say the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines is greater than its risk.

The high jab rate in the US and the UK is partly attributable to the fact that the two countries were the first to acquire the vaccines. But what is more important is people’s initiative to get vaccinated. The Hong Kong government blames the low vaccination on the people. It politicizes the vaccination issue although it keeps talking about being scientific. It talks the talks but does not walk the walk. As with Hong Kong, other countries have also reported cases where individuals died after being inoculated, and different vaccines were involved in those cases. Whether the deaths had to do with the vaccination or not, the authorities should explain with data rather than change existing rules to divert attention.

(Stock Wing, fb.com/stockwing1 )

This article is translated from Chinese by Apple Daily.

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