LettersReview Hong Kong’s handling of Covid-19 for the sake of the next generation

Readers discuss the importance of examining whether the government’s pandemic measures took into account the needs and well-being of children, the mask mandate and tourism, and the rules for arrivals into Hong Kong

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Pupils eat lunch at their desks after returning to full-day in-person learning on December 1 last year at a school in Tsing Yi. Photo: Elson Li

Published: 11:30am, 10 Feb 2023

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As the world learns to live with the coronavirus, health experts, politicians and stakeholders are calling for a full review of their country or city’s response to Covid-19, so they can be better prepared for future disease outbreaks.

Some countries like the United Kingdom and New Zealand have already launched independent inquiries. Others, like Canada, are still debating whether to launch an independent inquiry, while Singapore has opted for a government review.

A review of the outbreak in Hong Kong is needed for the good of all. Following the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003, a panel of international experts gave Hong Kong 46 recommendations on crisis preparedness. Thanks to the lessons learned, Hongkongers quickly realised the need to wear masks at the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak.

As child rights advocates, we have high hopes of what can be gained from a comprehensive review of the pandemic. Over the past three years, we faced the challenge of how to explain the situation to, and comfort and support, children who suddenly fell into a world they could not comprehend.

Covid-19 took the life of 19 children and young people under the age of 20 during the fifth wave in Hong Kong. Some have been suffering from long Covid. As many as 2,000 children under the age of 12 who were hospitalised experienced enforced separation from parents.