關注降低疫苗通行證年齡對未能打針兒童的精神健康和社交健康影響

 

我們是一群非政府組織及關心兒童健康與權利的人士，一直致力為兒童和青少年提供服務，促進他們的身心與社交健康和成長。自二零二零年初疫情襲港以來，我們目睹在過去的一千日疫情是如何擾亂兒童和青少年原有的家庭、校園和社區生活，亦影響了他們的精神健康、社交健康及個人成長，不同專業的人士都曾對相關現象表達擔心，亦苦思及推出種種補救措施去減低傷害。

 

政府在9月30日擴展「疫苗通行證」年齡到5 至 11 歲兒童，5歲或以上未按政府要求完成疫苗接種要求的兒童，當日起不能進入體育處所、游泳池、遊戲室、宗教場所、公共圖書館、博物館、餐廳、商場、超級市場、街市和其他表列處所。我們已目睹那些未能完成接種疫苗要求的兒童，在他們最重要的身心發展階段，如何被政策所影響而限制了他們生活，甚至受到歧視，他們不能像其他兒童一般正常參與活動，對這些兒童和他們的父母帶來了極大的情緒困擾，同時亦抵觸了兒童及青少年工作者，甚至社會對健康栽培兒童及青少年的原意。

 

我們認為疫苗接種是有效的防疫方法，並鼓勵家長主動掌握正確疫苗效用的資訊。我們相信，家長愈掌握相關資訊，他們愈能為孩子的健康作最佳選擇。而在社會考慮到疫情變化及經濟發展需要的平衡而放寬一些防疫措施下，以限制孩子生活中參與有益身心及社交健康機會作代價，損害孩子及他們家庭的福祉，並不是游說仍然猶疑是否讓孩子注射疫苗的家長的合適做法。

 

我們懇請政府考慮較為平衡的做法，在加強向家長推廣注射疫苗抗疫的同時，容許兒童在完成接種疫苗要求前，能以當天的快速測試陰性結果作為證明，容許他們進入表列處所，以減低對兒童精神與社交健康造成的損害。我們亦歡迎有關當局與我們攜手，做好兒童防疫習慣及維護兒童身心社交健康的教育推廣工作。政府亦應該採用更積極和務實的方法接觸家長，向未有接受疫苗注射的學童和家長了解他們的憂慮。

 

機構及組織聯署：

關注學童發展權利聯席

社區發展陣線

社區發展推動基金

社區藥物教育輔導會

關注家居照顧服務大聯盟

香港兒童權利委員會

共融匯思

香港天主教正義和平委員會

生命工場

公共衞生研究社

心 .  動力

天水圍社區發展網絡

親切

東涌居民網絡

 

個人聯署：

黛雅 (兒童事務委員會非官方委員)

鄭佩慧 (兒童事務委員會非官方委員)

何志權 (兒童事務委員會非官方委員)

吳堃廉 (兒童事務委員會非官方委員)

譚紫茵 (兒童事務委員會非官方委員)

曾潔雯博士 (兒童事務委員會非官方委員)

陳芝瑛 (兒童牧者)

陳可文 (護士)

陳國邦 (社工)

張詩慧 (物理治療師)

馮英惠 (退休護士)

賀卓軒 (社工)

何倩儀 (護士)

何汝瑛 (社工)

葉蔚基 (社工)

甘詠嬋 (社工)

李秀麗 (言語治療師)

吳鍏謙 (社工)

彭國才(社工)

孫曉嵐 (社工)

黃淑慧 (老師)

黃鳳儀 (老師)

黃子瑋 (社工)

黃曉君 (社工)

 

二零二二年十月二十五日

 

 

Concerned on the mental and social health impacts of lowering vaccine passport age on children

 

We are a group of non-governmental organizations and individuals who concern about children’s health and rights. We work closely with children and youth to promote their physical, mental and social health and growth. We have witnessed the serious disruption to the family, school and social life of children and youth in the past 1,000 days since Covid-19 struck Hong Kong in early 2020. We have also seen the grave effects on their mental, social health and personal growth. Various professionals have expressed their worries in this phenomenon, and tried hard to introduce remedies to reduce the damage.

 

The Government has extended the vaccine passport age to children aged 5 to 11 from 30 September. Starting on that date, children aged 5 and above who have not finished full vaccination under the Government’s requirement, cannot enter sports premises, swimming pools, playrooms, places of worship, public libraries, museums, restaurants, malls, supermarkets, markets, and other listed premises. We already witnessed how these children’s lives have been limited by this policy, and how they have been discriminated against when participating in normal activities that other children do. This has caused emotional distress to these children and parents. At the same time, it also defeats the original purposes of children and youth workers, and even society to cultivate healthy children and youth.

 

We believe vaccination is an effective way to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and we encourage parents to take the initiative to seek advice on vaccination for their children. We believe that when parents have access to more accurate information, they can better make the best choices for their children’s health. And while society has relaxed some of its vaccination measures to take into account the balance between changes in the epidemic and the need for economic development, limiting children’s participation in physically, mentally and socially healthy opportunities at the expense of their well-being and their families is not an appropriate approach to persuade parents who are still vaccine hesitant.

 

We sincerely urge the Government to consider a more balanced approach. While stepping up the promotion of vaccination against the pandemic to parents, allow children to use same-day rapid test negative result as a proof to enter the listed premises to reduce harm on the mental and social health of these children. We also welcome the authorities concerned to work with us in advancing children’s epidemic prevention habits, and the education and promotion work to maintain children’s physical and mental social health. We also sincerely appeal to the authorities concerned to use all means to reach out to school children and parents to explain the value of Covid-19 vaccinations and understand their concerns and hesitations.

 

Co-signed organizations and groups:

Alliance for Children Development Rights

Community Development Alliance

Community Development Enhancement Fund Limited

Community Drug Advisory Council

Concerning Home Care Service Alliance

Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights

Inclusive Asia

Justice & Peace Commission of the H.K. Catholic Diocese

Life Workshop

Public Health Research Collaborative

Psychotherapists in Action

Tin Shui Wai Community Development Network

TREATS

Tung Chung Resident’s Network

 

Co-signed individuals:

Bakar Fariha Salma Deiya (Commission on Children’s Non-official Member)

Janus Cheng (Commission on Children’s Non-official Member)

Dennis Ho Chi-kuen (Commission on Children’s Non-official Member)

Kenny Ng Kwan-lim (Commission on Children’s Non-official Member)

Michelle Tam Chi-yun (Commission on Children’s Non-official Member)

Dr. Sandra Tsang Kit-man (Commission on Children’s Non-official Member)

Eliza Chan (Children’s pastor)

Herman Chan (Nurse)

Chan Kwok Bong (Social worker)

Cheung Sze Wai (Physiotherapist)

Philip Fung (Retired nurse)

Ho Cheuk Hin Isaac (Social worker)

Ho Sin Yee (Nurse)

Ho Yu Ying (Social worker)

Ip Wai Kei (Social worker)

Amy Kam (Social worker)

Li Sau Lai (Speech therapist)

Him Ng (Social worker)

Pang Kwok Choi (Social worker)

Suen Althea (Social worker)

Emily Wong (Teacher)

Wong Fung Yee (Teacher)

Keith Wong (Social worker)

Sae Wong Kanokporn (Social worker)

25 October 2022