(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government needs to consider the vaccination rate when designing incentives to encourage people to take the COVID-19 jab, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today.

Mrs Lam made the remarks ahead of this morning’s Executive Council meeting when addressing media enquiries about the Government’s direction in the fight against the pandemic.

“I don’t think our so-called incentive plan is complicated. Every country, every place has to design their incentives, or on a broader scale, design their anti-COVID-19 strategy taking into account the local context.

“The local context at this point in time is the vaccination rate is not very satisfactory - it’s about 8%. I think Israel has gone up to 70%, 80% or even 100%. So that is a very relevant factor that one has to take into account in designing incentives for people to take the vaccine.

“In our case, we also have some sort of a pass. You can download your vaccination record - the first dose, the second dose, which date you have taken the first dose, the second dose and which vaccine you have taken. It’s all very clear.”

Mrs Lam pointed out the Government needs to come up with strong incentives.

“So we have all these measures and instruments in place. What we need now is to promote vaccination in Hong Kong.

“Since just protecting your own health and loving your family members are not strong enough incentives, then the Government has to come up with stronger incentives which are important not only for promoting vaccination but also to allow Hong Kong to go back to normality in a gradual and orderly manner so that businesses could continue to operate.”