My Take | Living with Covid-19 in Hong Kong is no longer a choice. It’s a reality
- The initial success of the zero-Covid approach may have created a false sense of security. Now there is a need for common sense and a sense of common purpose to help the city find its way through the crisis
Two months ago, Hong Kong was on the brink of declaring victory over Covid-19. There had been no community outbreak for weeks and the opening of the border with mainland China seemed imminent. But there was a risk the highly transmissible Omicron variant would breach the city’s defences. Now it is here, Hong Kong faces a crisis.
Case numbers have soared to record levels. The public health service is overwhelmed. The virus has hit care homes for the elderly and hospitals. Tragically, the first Omicron deaths are being reported. Living with the virus is no longer a choice. It is reality.
The government’s dynamic zero-Covid approach is struggling to keep up. Attempts to test, track and isolate those who test positive are causing much stress and disruption to people’s lives.
My experience of mass testing last week was relatively painless. But the attempt to test a community of more than 20,000 people in Discovery Bay plus recent visitors in a few days provided insight into the problems the city faces, even though it is not a typical part of Hong Kong. The leafy resort-style development is popular with expats and local professionals.
Hundreds were already in the queue, snaking up a steep hill, even though I arrived 20 minutes before the centre opened on the first day. I felt sorry for the elderly and infirm who struggled up the slope. They looked as if they might not make it to the end of the line, let alone survive the pandemic.
I queued for more than an hour in this mass gathering with no social distancing. In the end, I got a ticket not a test and was told to return at 5.15pm. The person in front of me was told 6.15pm. It was a bit random. When I went back, my test was swift and, thankfully, negative.