With regard to managing Covid-19, there is a mismatch between Hong Kong’s objectives and its strategy. There is ample room for debate as to whether zero local cases of Covid-19 is the right objective for an international city like Hong Kong. However, if the objective is zero local cases, then Hong Kong needs to learn from China how to achieve it. This means mandatory quarantine for all inbound travellers; no more quarantine exemptions for certain categories of arrivals until pretesting and/or vaccination verification systems that significantly reduce the chances of transmission have been agreed. Logically, once you have an extended period of no local cases, then any new cases will have to have been imported. China imposes two-week quarantine on all arrivals for this reason and has been largely successful. Note that China does not see a need for three-week quarantine, and it is ridiculous that some are suggesting it for Hong Kong as it will only heap misery on returning residents without having an impact on transmission of the virus. During the pandemic, there has been a trade-off between freedom of movement and life returning to normal. We have sacrificed freedom of movement and should be able to enjoy open schools for our children, dinners with friends and family, and group activities, as they do now in China. However, under the current policy, we have the worst of both worlds: no freedom of movement into and out of Hong Kong and no normal life within Hong Kong. Keith Noyes, Clear Water Bay Enforcement of Covid-19 regulations too weak I totally agree with Hans Ebert (“ Hong Kong coronavirus fourth wave: puzzling moves with two sets of rules ”, December 1). Why isn’t the government closing all these dance venues? These careless and selfish people are responsible for the sudden increase in coronavirus cases. Who is to know how many more have been infected? Now the government has set up a hotline for us to call if we see groups of people gathering at, for example, piers. Here on Lamma Island, I often see private yachts with groups of people. Did I ever see police? Hardly. We also have groups of local tourists: island-hopping tours embarked on by local people who obviously need space and fresh air. I’ve been on the same ferry as many of these groups, and while they do wear masks on the ferry, they remove them in the streets, and while hiking. They come from all areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, and they shop and eat at local restaurants. How does the government propose to monitor these groups? Elizabeth Bolloni, Lamma
