LettersIf Covid-19 threatens Hong Kong’s children, ‘living with the virus’ is out of the question

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As Hong Kong battles a surge in Covid-19 cases, many have begun to express doubt over the city’s “dynamic zero-Covid” policy. However, as President Xi Jinping has called on the Hong Kong government to mobilise all forces and resources to control the outbreak as soon as possible, living with the virus is no longer an option.

In fact, there is no room at all for living with the virus. A four-year-old boy died last week after testing preliminarily positive for the virus. A three-year-old girl died on Tuesday. These children were too young to be vaccinated at the time. The government has only just made vaccination available to those aged three to five.

Unlike adults who refuse to get the vaccine for a variety of reasons, children are not in a position to endure the consequences of contracting a potentially lethal disease. As a father of two, there is no way I can be comfortable living with the virus while the next generation is left unprotected from brutal natural selection.

Apart from needing a credible voice to deliver scientific facts on vaccination to the public, as suggested by Vijay Verghese (“Hong Kong needs its own Anthony Fauci to beat politics-driven fear of vaccines”, February 15), Hong Kong must adopt ex-ante policymaking, as even the most sophisticated statistical models do not truly reflect the complexity of this global crisis.

A lack of determination will unequivocally lead to a further surge in cases. As the situation deteriorates, the central government is urging Hong Kong to consider the benefits of a zero-Covid policy, much like a doctor urging a patient to take a vaccine.