HKUBS_Standard_Coloured_Shield_Blue_Text_Logo - 380
  • Global Presence
  • About Us
        • About us about us
        • A Premier Business School in Asia with Global Influence
        • Overview
          • Message from the Dean
          • Vision & Mission
          • Milestones
          • Partnerships & Global Network
          • Beta Gamma Sigma HKU Chapter
          • Rankings & Accreditations
          • Corporate Collaboration
        • Leadership
          • Faculty Management
          • International Advisory Council
        • Our Stories
        • Contact Us
        • Staff Portal
        • Campuses
  • Programmes
        • Programmes programmes
        • Diversified Learning Experience Empowers our Students
        • Undergraduate
        • Masters
          • MAA
          • MAcct
          • MCGRM
          • MEcon
          • MFWM
          • MFin
          • MFFinTech
          • MGM
          • MSAF
          • MSc(BA)
          • MScMktg
          • MWM
        • MBAs & EMBAs
          • MBA
          • IMBA
          • HKU EMBA
        • PhD
        • Executive Education
        • DBA
  • People
        • People people
        • International Faculty Body that Offers Quality Education
        • Faculty
        • Post-Doctoral Fellows
        • Demonstrators/ Teaching Assistants
        • Research Postgraduate Students
        • Administration
  • Research
        • Research research
        • Lead the Frontier of Knowledge Creation
        • Thought Leadership
          • Latest Research Publications
          • HKEJ Column
          • FT Chinese Column
          • In the Media
        • Academic Areas
        • Faculty Members
        • Research Grants
        • Seminars & Conferences
          • Edward K Y Chen Distinguished Lecture Series
        • Research Centres & Institutes
        • Hong Kong Macroeconomics Forecast
        • HKU Knowledge Exchange
        • HKU Scholars Hub
        • Shenzhen Research Institutes
  • Events
  • Media
        • Media media
        • Inspire the Society and Community with Rigorous Insights
        • School News
        • In the Media
        • Press Release
  • Career
        • Career career
        • Fostering Strategic Partnerships and Talent Development
        • Recruit our Talents
        • Student Career Development
        • Career Opportunities
          • Faculty Recruitments
          • HKU Career Site
  • 繁
  • 简
Type To Search
HKUBS_Standard_Coloured_Shield_Blue_Text_Logo - 380
Type To Search
  • Global Presence
  • About Us
        • About us about us
        • A Premier Business School in Asia with Global Influence
        • Overview
          • Message from the Dean
          • Vision & Mission
          • Milestones
          • Partnerships & Global Network
          • Beta Gamma Sigma HKU Chapter
          • Rankings & Accreditations
          • Corporate Collaboration
        • Leadership
          • Faculty Management
          • International Advisory Council
        • Our Stories
        • Contact Us
        • Staff Portal
        • Campuses
  • Programmes
        • Programmes programmes
        • Diversified Learning Experience Empowers our Students
        • Undergraduate
        • Masters
          • MAA
          • MAcct
          • MCGRM
          • MEcon
          • MFWM
          • MFin
          • MFFinTech
          • MGM
          • MSAF
          • MSc(BA)
          • MScMktg
          • MWM
        • MBAs & EMBAs
          • MBA
          • IMBA
          • HKU EMBA
        • PhD
        • Executive Education
        • DBA
  • People
        • People people
        • International Faculty Body that Offers Quality Education
        • Faculty
        • Post-Doctoral Fellows
        • Demonstrators/ Teaching Assistants
        • Research Postgraduate Students
        • Administration
  • Research
        • Research research
        • Lead the Frontier of Knowledge Creation
        • Thought Leadership
          • Latest Research Publications
          • HKEJ Column
          • FT Chinese Column
          • In the Media
        • Academic Areas
        • Faculty Members
        • Research Grants
        • Seminars & Conferences
          • Edward K Y Chen Distinguished Lecture Series
        • Research Centres & Institutes
        • Hong Kong Macroeconomics Forecast
        • HKU Knowledge Exchange
        • HKU Scholars Hub
        • Shenzhen Research Institutes
  • Events
  • Media
        • Media media
        • Inspire the Society and Community with Rigorous Insights
        • School News
        • In the Media
        • Press Release
  • Career
        • Career career
        • Fostering Strategic Partnerships and Talent Development
        • Recruit our Talents
        • Student Career Development
        • Career Opportunities
          • Faculty Recruitments
          • HKU Career Site
HKUBS_Standard_Coloured_Shield_Blue_Text_Logo - 380
  • Global Presence
  • About Us
    • Overview
      • Message from the Dean
      • Vision & Mission
      • Milestones
      • Partnerships & Global Network
      • Beta Gamma Sigma HKU Chapter
      • Rankings & Accreditations
      • Corporate Collaboration
    • Leadership
      • Faculty Management
      • International Advisory Council
    • Our Stories
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Portal
    • Campuses
  • Programmes
    • Undergraduate
    • Masters
      • MAA
      • MAcct
      • MCGRM
      • MEcon
      • MFWM
      • MFin
      • MFFinTech
      • MGM
      • MSAF
      • MSc(BA)
      • MScMktg
      • MWM
    • MBAs & EMBAs
      • MBA
      • IMBA
      • HKU EMBA
    • DBA
    • PhD
    • Executive Education
  • People
    • Faculty
    • Post-Doctoral Fellows
    • Demonstrators/ Teaching Assistants
    • Research Postgraduate Students
    • Administration
  • Research
    • Thought Leadership
      • Latest Research Publications
      • HKEJ Column
      • FT Chinese Column
      • In the Media
    • Academic Areas
    • Faculty Members
    • Research Grants
    • Seminars & Conferences
      • Edward K Y Chen Distinguished Lecture Series
    • Research Centres & Institutes
    • Hong Kong Macroeconomics Forecast
    • HKU Knowledge Exchange
    • HKU Scholars Hub
    • Shenzhen Research Institutes
  • Events
  • Media
    • School News
    • In the Media
    • Press Release
  • Career
    • Recruit our Talents
    • Student Career Development
    • Career Opportunities
      • Faculty Recruitments
      • HKU Career Site

HKEJ Column

Home Research Thought Leadership HKEJ Column
Fighting COVID: To Strike a Balance Between Effectiveness and Convenience

Fighting COVID: To Strike a Balance Between Effectiveness and Convenience

16 Feb 2022
Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsappShare on LinkedInShare on Email
抗疫不忘初心 保民亦要便民

當前全球新冠病毒疫情極度嚴峻,香港也到了抗疫的關鍵階段,筆者雖非醫學專家,倒有幾點意見和讀者分享。

防控措施應體恤民情

特區政府最近宣布收緊社交距離措施。除了擴大「安心出行」流動應用程式的使用範圍,還推出了疫苗通行證,規定只有接種了新冠疫苗的人士才能進入表列處所。這些措施是否太嚴苛,又或者做得不到位,並非本文的討論重點。筆者希望在此釐清一個概念,那就是只容許已接種疫苗人士進入,和必須先出示接種證明才能進入,是兩個不同的概念。就好比成年人外出要攜帶身份證,不同於他先得向住所大堂的保安員出示身份證才能外出。

要確保只有已接種疫苗的人士才能進入表列處所, 較有效率的做法是安排政府人員進行隨機檢查。既然政府對違規者已有罰款安排, 只要加大隨機檢查的頻率就能產生阻嚇作用。

但目前的安排在以下幾方面均存在問題。 第一,表列處所需安排員工查核疫苗通行證,令經營成本增加。對大企業或許微不足道,但對小企業而言,無疑是百上加斤。小企業大概不會多聘人手處理,這個安排只會增加員工工作量,使他們疲於奔命。

對於顧客或任何進入表列處所的人而言,在門口登記也是浪費時間。他們可能提着大包小包,又要進行登記,未免狼狽。再者,人群聚集也會造成堵塞,影響鄰近商戶及交通甚至發生意外。

資料顯示,目前香港20歲到60歲人士的疫苗接種比例已經接近九成。既然大多數市民已經完成接種,證明自己的接種紀錄到底意義何在?出示接種紀錄未必耗時,但若所有人都要這樣重重複複,總體的時間成本則非常之大。

至於使用「安心出行」的安排也可稍作改善,例如食肆可以讓顧客就坐時才掃碼,會較為方便。

長者接種率偏低的背後成因

筆者前幾天在本報閱讀曾國平博士撰寫的文章,文章指出其他國家的長者疫苗接種率普遍高於青壯年人,但香港長者的疫苗接種率卻比青壯年人低,情況異常。筆者於是認真研究相關數據。從【圖1】可見,在香港各年齡組別,已接種兩劑疫苗的人口和比例中,60歲或以上人士的接種率明顯低於20歲至60歲;70歲至79歲的接種率低於60歲至69歲;80歲或以上的接種率,又低於70歲至79歲。

【圖 1】香港疫苗接種人口的年齡分佈

資料來源:https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/zh-HK/dashboard

 

網站Our World in Data收集了大量有關2019冠狀病毒病和新冠疫苗接種的數據,根據【圖2、3、4】,年紀愈大的人,疫苗接種率愈高。

這個數據庫共列出33個國家的數據。筆者發現,各地60歲或以上人士的接種率均高於全國平均率。香港60歲或以上人士的低接種率,確實異常!

 

【圖 2】 澳洲各年齡層已接種 2019 冠狀病毒病疫苗處方劑量比率

資料來源:Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations#vaccinations-by-age;2022 年 2 月 12 日)

 

【圖 3】 以色列各年齡層已接種 2019 冠狀病毒病疫苗處方劑量比率

資料來源:Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations#vaccinations-by-age;2022 年 2 月 11 日)

 

【圖 4】 意大利各年齡層中已接種 2019 冠狀病毒病疫苗處方劑量比率

資料來源:Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations#vaccinations-by-age;2022 年 2 月 11 日)

 

筆者認為,這個特殊現象的成因有二:首先,香港的疫情從來沒有歐美嚴重,使長者覺得沒有接種疫苗的迫切性。其次,2019冠狀病毒病的各種疫苗以史無前例的速度快速研發,故長者對疫苗副作用有所憂慮相當合理。其次,政府在推出疫苗接種計劃不久後,便停止公布接種疫苗後出現嚴重副作用的個案,助長了人們對接種疫苗的疑慮。

筆者認為外國長者高接種率的經驗值得港府大力宣傳。在擁有高度言論自由和法治的國家中,假使長者接種疫苗是弊多於利,又或極可能引起嚴重醫療後果,當地媒體和代議士必然會相當重視。

目前在香港使用的疫苗有兩款:科興疫苗是傳統技術,其功效未必最高,但醫學界對其副作用應更有把握;復必泰疫苗則是西方新技術。因此在本地接種疫苗的副作用,與其他國家(特別是西方國家)的經驗是可以類比的。既然在這些有言論自由和法治保障的地方,老人家都比年輕人更願意接種疫苗,換句話說,接種疫苗利大於弊。了解此點,有助加強本地長者接種疫苗的信心。

說到長者的疫苗接種率,筆者就聯想起老人院的院友。今年1月7日開始,親屬已經不能到院舍探望他們。早前的探訪安排亦有諸多限制:到訪前除了必先預約、每次只限一名已完成兩劑接種的親屬探訪、探訪者亦必須擁有24小時內的核酸檢測陰性結果證明等等。

安全之外還須安心

筆者希望隨着疫情減退,加上長者接種率上升,老人院的探訪安排可獲放寬。對於接種率達到100%的院舍,政府應給予最大程度的放寬;要是大型院舍的獨立樓層能達到這個要求,亦應如是放寬。既然疫苗能夠減少出現重症的機會,而所有院友亦完成接種,那探訪安排就沒必要如此嚴苛。否則只得安全,卻了無生趣,這又有何意義?筆者亦建議,在社會福利署的安排和在自願的情況下,各個院舍和院友可以安排掉換,讓更多院舍可以達到有關要求。

筆者認為抗疫有賴全民參與和合作。只有好的抗疫政策並不足夠,還需市民大眾對政策了解和信任,否則只會事倍功半。因此在抗疫的同時,如何方便市民,令市民確實感到政策的好處是至關重要的,事情成敗往往繫於其中細節。

 

趙耀華 港大經管學院副教授

(本文同時於二零二二年二月十六日載於《信報》「龍虎山下」專欄)

Soft Landing: Neither Inflation nor Regulation will Produce Prosperity9 Feb 2022
The Rise of Metaverse23 Feb 2022
Trending
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Yet Another  Policy Blunder
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Yet Another Policy Blunder
Dr. Y. F. LUK
Is America's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' a masterpiece or a misstep?According to Dr Y.F. Luk, Honorary Associate Professor at HKU Business School, this new policy comes at a steep price. He explained that while the 870-page bill makes tax cuts permanent, it pays for them by slashing vital medical and food subsidies.
9 Jul 2024
Faculty
Stablecoins: A Trust Anchor in the Sea of Digital Currency
Stablecoins: A Trust Anchor in the Sea of Digital Currency
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
In recent years, the global financial markets have been turbulent, with Bitcoin’s price fluctuations resembling a rollercoaster—attracting investors in pursuit of high returns. However, in this vast digital ocean, most enterprises and investors are not seeking adventure, but rather a safe haven for investment.
2 Jul 2025
Faculty
Dr_Stepten_Chiu_web
About Author
Dr. Stephen Y CHIU

Honorary Associate Professor

Sign up for upcoming news and events
LinkedIn WeChat Instagram Facebook Weibo Twitter YouTube

©2025, HKU Business School. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Web Accessibility Statement