Hong Kong may see sharp rise in Covid cases in next 2 months, experts say, urging vulnerable groups to get booster jabs
- HKU health scholars also encourage residents to switch up vaccine regime, such as going from Sinovac shots to BioNTech or Moderna mRNA boosters
- About 80 per cent of patients in Hong Kong’s public hospital disease wards currently ‘severe’ Covid-19 cases, expert says
Medical experts in Hong Kong have warned that Covid-19 cases could rise sharply in the next two months, urging those deemed at high risk to get vaccinated with the latest generation of jabs before the Lunar New Year break.
The two health scholars from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on Sunday also advised residents to try “mixed” jabs, such as those who initially started with Sinovac shots opting for a BioNTech or Moderna mRNA booster.
They added that now was the time to get a booster jab to ensure those in vulnerable groups could build sufficient immunity levels before the coming holiday.
Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, the university’s chair professor of infectious diseases, said Covid-19 infections could increase in the next month or so, pointing to a recent surge in severe cases requiring hospitalisation.
About 80 per cent of patients in Hong Kong’s public hospital disease wards were currently “severe” Covid-19 cases, another 10 per cent had severe flu and the remainder had other infections, he said.
The medical scholar said that while Covid-19 was now endemic, the risk of severe infections remained for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, immune compromised and children.
He urged those in high-risk groups to get the latest vaccine targeting the XBB virus variant “as soon as possible”.
