As coronavirus ravages the world, I’d rather be in Hong Kong right now than anywhere else

Of all the places in the world to ride out the coronavirus crisis, I can think of few better than Hong Kong. Yes, its government has made a few mistakes, most prominent among them a lack of preparedness in crucial areas. But Hongkongers are a tough and critical lot and the errors have been swiftly pointed out and, often enough, rectified.

Hong Kong stands out, along with Singapore and Macau, as having relatively low rates of infection, despite their proximity to mainland China and large number of travellers. The surge of returnees from Covid-19-hit parts of Europe and North America are dramatically altering case numbers as the wave of carriers among them show positive test results.

A debacle over tracking bracelets given to arrivals that did not work is the latest show of unpreparedness, but it is just a minor misstep. The city will remain a beacon of know-how because its people are used to having to fend for themselves in times of need and have the wherewithal to be prepared.

From the earliest signs of the disease in Wuhan, in December, Hongkongers were readying themselves for the worst. A number already had stocks of face masks from months of confrontation with police during democracy protests.