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Airport staff subject to compulsory testing queue up for Covid testing at a mobile specimen collection station in Terminal 1 of the Hong Kong International Airport on July 13. Photo: Nora Tam

Letters | Hong Kong coronavirus: what’s the point of Covid-19 rules when so many are exempt?

  • The list of those exempted from hotel quarantine has thrown up alarming loopholes
I am proud of the performance of the Hong Kong government in battling the Covid-19 pandemic and its decision to adopt and enforce stricter measures, including banning travellers from high-risk countries and locking down residential buildings for compulsory testing where confirmed cases of infections live or have visited. We have had no local case for at least 44 consecutive days.
However, we still have several loopholes, with aircrew detected as carrying mutant strains of the coronavirus and airport staff being infected by visitors. Those working in the airport should be highly encouraged to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible, as they are in the front line in terms of handling new arrivals to the city.
The list of those exempted from quarantine has thrown up alarming loopholes. Consuls and their families, for example, are allowed to isolate at home rather than in hotels. It is impossible to monitor these people or rely completely on their self-discipline – how do we establish any rules this way? Those who break Covid-19 rules must be punished as their actions could bring disaster (“ Hong Kong revokes Saudi Arabia consulate worker’s quarantine exemption for breaking Covid-19 rules” July 21).

None of us wants to face a fifth coronavirus outbreak because of someone else’s selfishness or carelessness. We have all – as individuals, families or businesses – already suffered a lot.

Jack Chung, Sham Shui Po

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