Hong Kong residents’ willingness in taking the latest Covid-19 vaccine is lower than in Singapore, but higher compared with other Asian markets, according to a new survey by US pharmaceutical giant Moderna, which called on vulnerable groups to get inoculated.
Moderna found 52 per cent of Hong Kong respondents said they were willing to get the updated vaccine when it becomes available, while 58 per cent of those surveyed in Singapore were inclined to take the latest jab, according to the findings published last week.
The survey, which involved 5,032 respondents across five markets in Asia, also found a reluctance to get the latest vaccine in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan – with results of 49 per cent, 39 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively.
While Moderna touted in its findings the importance of getting inoculated again, the survey results indicate a “growing complacency” even as coronavirus variants continue to evolve.
Receiving an updated jab is “essential” to defend against the contagious disease and the impact of symptoms that have come to be known as long Covid, according to Moderna medical affairs vice-president Piyali Mukherjee in a statement.
Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Moderna has been expanding its presence across Asia, including in Hong Kong and mainland China, to tap the region’s vast healthcare market.