Hong Kong people’s fears over coronavirus vaccine can be calmed using facts and scientific data
- Worries about the effects of a vaccine are understandable. The government must respond with empathy, and correct and up-to-date information about the vaccines, especially the Chinese-made ones that have been the subject of suspicion
Unfortunately, the Sinovac vaccine has been the subject of heated debate and even malicious attacks, especially on social media.
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It cannot be ruled out that the gossip surrounding the Sinovac vaccines is politically motivated, and any blatantly false or scientifically unfounded rumours must be corrected.
Covid-19 vaccines for Hong Kong: safety, politics and what you need to know
For starters, the full picture of this coronavirus is yet to be uncovered. It is unclear how long a vaccinated person will remain immune and whether there is a risk for a vaccinated person to transmit the virus. Moreover, while some vaccines have proved effective in trials, only time will tell if such results can be scaled up.
Furthermore, public concern about vaccine safety is understandable. For example, what are the side effects of getting a shot? The general public who lack medical knowledge may be frightened by news reports of participants suffering sickness during the clinical trials.
There were even recent reports of people in a vaccine trial experiencing facial paralysis, which were used by some people in Hong Kong to insinuate that Chinese-made vaccines had potential hazards. But the fact is, medical experts had already explained that this side effect is temporary and not severe as most people think.
In public relations, keeping stakeholders fully informed and updated about the matter in question is an effective way to prevent and extinguish harmful rumours. So the Hong Kong administration should launch a communication programme to give the public the objective facts about these vaccines.
To gain public trust in the forthcoming vaccination programme, the government needs to address scepticism and suspicion not just with empathy, but also professionalism and transparency, supported by up-to-date scientific data.
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The Hong Kong government should also allow people who wish to be vaccinated to choose the brand. Not giving people a he choice might raise more suspicions about Chinese-made vaccines.
Vaccines and widespread inoculation is undoubtedly the first step for world recovery. The benefits of herd immunity achieved through vaccination certainly outweigh personal concerns. The public must be provided with information on the benefits and risks associated with each procured vaccine, and allowed to come to an informed decision. Transparency is key.
Ken Chu is group chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group and a national committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference