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For much of the pandemic, China kept the coronavirus away. The country has adopted an aggressive COVID-Zero plan, which detects, limits and strictly identifies cases to prevent the spread of the virus. It seemed to work remarkably well — until the arrival of the superconducting micron variant. The seemingly uncontrollable virus is now exploding in China, breaking daily records and revealing a tragic mistake in China’s COVID policies: the country’s most vulnerable – the elderly – are among the least protected against vaccination. Therefore, mortality rates are likely to increase. This has already happened in Hong Kong, which saw its own very high micron wave between January and March. In its aftermath it was one of the highest death rates the world has ever seen in the midst of a pandemic. In a study published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US CDC teamed up with the Chinese CDC for a necropsy for the deadly peak. The analysis revealed the fatal defect in the neglect of the elderly vaccination. As of the end of December 2021, approximately 67 percent of Hong Kong residents eligible for the vaccine have been vaccinated with at least one dose. About 64 percent had two doses and only 5 percent had boosters. But the numbers went down with age. Of people age 60 and older, only 52 percent had a dose or more. For those ages 70 to 79, only 48 percent had at least one. And for those 80 and older, only 20 percent had at least one dose. On January 6, officials in Hong Kong spotted the city’s first omicrone case, triggering an outbreak that culminated on March 4. As of March 21, officials had recorded a total of 1,049,959 cases and 5,906 COVID-19-related deaths. The mortality rate was 38 per million people, one of the highest in the world. Advertising
Deadly mistake
Of the 5,906 COVID-19 deaths during the Omicron wave, 96 percent were among people aged 60 and over. Overall, comparing mortality rates with people under the age of 30, people aged 60 and over were 253 times more likely to die and people 80 and older were 946 times more likely to die. Of those 60 and older who died, 70 percent (3,970 out of 5,655) were unvaccinated and an additional 18 percent (1,023 out of 5,655) had only received one dose of the vaccine. Overall, unvaccinated people aged 60 and over were 21 times more likely to die than those in the age group who had received at least two doses. It is not clear why relatively few elderly people in Hong Kong and elsewhere in China have been vaccinated. The authors of the CDC analysis noted that a June 2021 survey in Hong Kong found that 57 percent of people were hesitant or resistant to COVID-19 vaccines. “The dynamic COVID-Zero strategy, successful until the emergence of the micron variant, could result in further complacency, especially among the elderly,” the authors speculate. They noted that since the micron wave began, vaccination in older adults has increased “substantially”. As of March 21, vaccination among people aged 60 to 69 had risen from 65 percent to 81 percent. At those ages 70 to 79, vaccination increased from 48 percent to 69 percent. and between those 80 and over, vaccination increased from 20 percent to 39 percent. However, these numbers are low compared to those in the US and Europe. And in mainland China, only about half of those aged 80 and over have been fully vaccinated, according to March figures. As omicron grows in Shanghai, the analysis provides a clear call to action. “This report highlights that vaccination reduces COVID-19 mortality rates in older adult populations and draws attention to the importance of monitoring vaccination coverage for a specific age, identifying differences in vaccination rates by age and addressing them. of coverage gaps, “he wrote to the US CDC. a statement.
