Strong argument for the protective nature of the COVID vaccines. Although the virus certainly appears less damaging now in 2022 as opposed to when it first appeared.
That was not Hong Kong's experience with Omicron when it hit a population of unvaccinated older people and their per capita death rate soared up to one of the highest in the world.
The "weak" omicron effect is probably due to preexisting natural immunity and vaccination. South Africa where Omicron originated had a youthful population and high levels of natural immunity. Most of the developed world had a mix of natural immunity and high levels of vaccination (particularly in the elderly). Hong Kong had neither and Omicron still tore it up.