With fresh waves of the Covid-19 pandemic hitting cities around the world, the global economy is facing a great deal of uncertainty. It is evident we will have a longer recession than imagined during the initial outbreak. Even if central banks continue to print money (“ Zero interest rates, heavy debt will be new normal in coronavirus recovery ”, July 16), the only thing that matters is a successful vaccine becoming available to everyone. If people do not develop immunity to Covid-19, we will see economies across the globe continue to record losses that central banks will accumulate on their balance sheets for years to come. Countries need to band together to come up with a real solution, but instead every country is just interested in opening up their own economy. People in power need to realise that lives matter more. There will be millionaires and billionaires who lose money, but that’s just the natural cycle of life. Past generations have made and lost wealth in every crisis. Governments should not intervene and create a false economy. They need to save lives first and solve economic problems later. Rishi Teckchandani, Mid-Levels Support Hong Kong government on Covid-19 damage control A third wave of coronavirus infections is hitting our city. Among the record high of 113 new Covid-19 infections on July 22, more than half were untraceable. Hong Kong’s annual book fair, which last year attracted 980,000 visitors, was postponed indefinitely just two days before its scheduled opening. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has announced tighter social distancing measures and other service restrictions to bring the outbreak under control, but has warned of a potential new wave of infections in winter, as feared by health experts. The Hong Kong Civic Association urges all sectors of our community, whatever their political background, to join forces with the government in saving lives and protecting public health and well-being. Our association also supports Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-Po’s plan to save Cathay Pacific from collapse and reaffirm Hong Kong’s future as an international aviation and financial hub. The government’s intervention was vital, as the Post reported, “to keep the airline’s delicate shareholding balance” and “public sector ownership would ultimately be short-term and possibly profitable” (“ Cathay Pacific averts ruin with call to Hong Kong’s HK$4 trillion man ”, July 11). The support from the government’s Covid-19 relief package of about HK$680 million (US$87.7 million) as wage subsidies for almost 26,000 Cathay Pacific Group employees is timely and commendable. Hilton Cheong-Leen, life president, and Frederick Lynn, chairman, Hong Kong Civic Association