Like free stuff? Miss traveling? Then this is music to your ears: The Airport Authority (AA) is giving out 60,000 free air tickets to those who are jabbed against COVID-19 by the end of September.
In an attempt to encourage vaccinations, the AA announced Wednesday that it will be holding a lucky draw for 50,000 Hong Kong residents and 10,000 airport staff to win flights.
“We hope air traffic would recover as soon as possible. A higher vaccination rate is pivotal to the early recovery of aviation business,” Jack So, Chairman of the AA, said.
More details about the lucky draw will be announced in due course.
Despite Hong Kong’s efficient vaccination program, which allows the public to receive the COVID-19 jabs at dozens of hospitals and community centers for free, the city is reckoning with high degrees of vaccine hesitancy attributed to a lack of trust in the government and concern about potential side effects.
Deaths occurring among vaccinated individuals are also widely reported in local media outlets, adding to skepticism of the jab. So far, none of the fatalities have been linked to the vaccine.
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Just under 20% of Hong Kong’s population of 7.5 million have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose as of figures published Thursday morning. Around 14% have gotten both doses.
Earlier, the government was reportedly contacting celebrities and influencers to be the face of the city’s vaccination drive. One health expert suggested that Cantopop star Keung To, who is idolized among young Hongkongers, could help promote the jab.
