Hong Kong was moving forward with travel bubble arrangements before the third wave of infection hit. Ironically, the cautiousness that has made Asia successful in the Covid-19 battle may keep the region from easily forming air bridges.

Every day, 10-15 tonnes of discarded masks end up in Hong Kong’s landfills, and more wash up on the beaches. The challenge is for Hong Kong is to design a mask that meets expert standards and is environmentally sustainable.

The Trump administration’s aborted visa rule change, which threatened deportation for foreign students in the US, was political and desperate. Kudos to the US universities and companies who stood up and fought to right a wrong

Security and stability is good for business and ends the political gridlock distracting the government. Even the threat of US sanctions seems to be receding. New law also makes China feel more secure about Hong Kong.

Rather than a government-run or policed system of registration for journalists, Hong Kong should consider setting up a self-regulatory journalists’ body, to liaise with police on safety and access issues, and keep student reporters safely away from the front lines.

After trying Beijing’s patience for years with squabbling and political gridlock, Hong Kong must now be patient and have faith that the national security law will be implemented properly, with clear and precise wording.

It will be a long time before the world as a whole goes back to its old travel habits – maybe not until well into next year. But it does not have to mean we must all be stuck in Hong Kong for another 12 or 18 months.

By the time the WHO formally declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, any government could have started preparing. From Hong Kong to Hanoi, Asian governments took the pandemic seriously and acted fast.

With limited places available in quarantine facilities, many people have been served stay-home orders that could not have worked without a group of people dedicated to improving the tracking gadgets and monitoring that quarantines are observed.

The city was not alone in being hit by a ‘second wave’ of infections last month as Hongkongers returned sick from abroad and locally transmitted cases also shot up.

Hong Kong is being lauded for its containment effort now countries in the West are experiencing the challenges it faced in the early days when infection numbers spiked. Government competence can only go so far. The real heroes are all the people.

The possibility of any disruption to Hong Kong’s economic relations with the US is worrying. But despite hawkish rhetoric and the passage of the Human Rights and Democracy act, there is considerable goodwill in the US towards Hong Kong.

The government and private sector are doing their best to boost supply but there just aren’t enough masks to go around. The advice for all to wear a mask when outside, based on the idea that it’s better to be safe than sorry, is not feasible when supplies are limited.

Hundreds of thousands, including truck drivers and Hong Kong travellers, cross the border every day. And even government critics accept that we can’t just switch off the flow of goods from the mainland. Is it helpful to politicise this issue?

Is it fair to demand small business owners, who put money and hard work into their ventures, take a political stand?

The long tradition of putting fiscal responsibility above all and keeping Hong Kong business-friendly at all costs, is changing as the government shows a greater willingness to redistribute wealth, look after those in need and give everyone a fairer deal.

A whistle-blower culture is taking hold around the world. So, even with scepticism about the official line, it is puzzling that some in Hong Kong still believe there were deaths in an MTR station even though no one has come forward.

Newsworthiness is one reason for the huge disparities in US media coverage – as documented by a media watchdog – of Hong Kong’s strife and unrest elsewhere. Another reason could be that these media organisations have a different role to play.

Washington’s new measures on Hong Kong are largely symbolic, but could backfire on us if seized upon by local activists as a way to put pressure on Beijing and the Hong Kong government. Backing US moves to provoke China is dangerous play.

Despite rumours, officials do not want to postpone elections, not least because it would be a major PR disaster. But protesters need to stand down to ensure everyone feels safe enough to go out and vote.

Protesters’ vandalism of public and private premises creates problems for all Hongkongers, from the taxpayer to the business owner. Furthermore, photos of Hong Kong looking like a war zone hurt the city’s business-friendly reputation.

Hong Kong, with its high suicide rate, has long been ill-equipped to deal with its mental health issues. The unbearable pressures of the ongoing protests could make that challenge the city’s biggest yet.

The discontent in Hong Kong clearly runs deep, and the next policy address will include official government responses. The IPCC has a role to play too, and should be given a chance before launching a complicated commission of inquiry.

Hong Kong’s protests have given it international prominence but the city – and its special economic status with the US – should not become a weapon in the US trade conflict with China.

The past three months have been exhausting, physically and mentally, for MTR staff, police, reporters – and protesters. With the extradition bill withdrawn, now is the time to remember friends on the other side of the dispute and begin mending fences.

The unrest must stop. This is no longer just about Hong Kong but a matter of China’s national sovereignty and security. For Hongkongers to ignore Beijing’s messages or shrug them off is a big mistake.

There is no way the Hong Kong and Beijing governments can yield to the violence that threatens the constitutional order. However, once order is restored, the SAR government will not be able to proceed without making serious reforms.

The local stock market is reflecting jitters about local stability. Fears about Hong Kong’s international image and economy affect not only those in the financial sector but, ultimately, everyone in Hong Kong.

Older Hongkongers may prize material well-being while younger ones value social justice, but focusing on these divisions is to miss the point. To be effective, the government needs to listen to a broad range of the community on a broad range of issues.

Hong Kong is split on who is to blame for the crisis – officials or opponents, police or protesters – and people’s views are only reinforced by what they choose to read online. A genuinely new and different approach to governance is the only way to move on.