LettersHong Kong, unlike mainland China, can’t afford the pursuit of zero Covid

Nearly two years into the battle against Covid-19, Hong Kong’s social distancing and quarantine policies have neither become more measured nor matured, shaking people’s confidence in the governance of this city.

About a year ago, when the population was not vaccinated at all, incoming travellers had to be quarantined for 14 days in a hotel before entering the community. Today, fully vaccinated travellers from high-risk countries have to be quarantined in a hotel for 21 days; or be sent to a government quarantine centre for 21 days if they are found to be in contact with suspected positive cases – even if everyone involved is masked and distanced.

While we were told to get vaccinated to brace ourselves for the virus, by the time Hong Kong opens up, our vaccines might no longer be effective. It would seem we got vaccinated only in time for a longer stay in quarantine hotels or camps.

While the world is moving towards accepting the virus as a part of life but focusing on reducing illness with vaccination and other social distancing measures, Hong Kong remains at the infancy stage of pretending that a zero-case scenario will last.

Hong Kong itself is at a loss over what sort of approach it should take to adapt to the new normal; it is a serious mistake to think this city can operate like other mainland cities, or even Macau, which can shut down part or whole of itself for days or weeks to conduct mass coronavirus screening and containment.

The mainland is clear about what it does. When the need arises, mainland officials can lock down an entire city and their self-sustainable economy will return to business as usual again. But Hong Kong, an outward-facing economy that needs to be connected to mainland China and the rest of the world, will remain extremely vulnerable under such a policy.