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Opinion | Hong Kong’s Covid-19 ‘lockdown’ would pale in comparison to others around the world
- Hong Kong has been relatively Covid-free for almost two years, but the surge in case numbers and deaths means its strategy must evolve
- While people elsewhere, including in the UK and Australia, have had to face extended and stringent restrictions on their movements, mass testing here would be accompanied by a ‘limited lockdown’
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In Hong Kong, pandemic fatigue has set in. After three years of the curtailment of movement in one form or another – from MTR shutdowns and road blockages during the protests to social distancing measures during Covid-19 – Hongkongers have had to put up with a lot.
So it comes as no surprise that news of an impending “lockdown” of some sort would put the city on edge. But, before we panic, we need to look at the facts and get some perspective within the global context.
The fact is the people of Hong Kong worked together to keep our city relatively Covid-free for almost two years until two months ago, a feat few other places can claim.
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While the city has been gripped by a vicious fifth wave of the pandemic, we must bear in mind that other countries have already experienced the high number of cases and death Hong Kong is now experiencing. Hong Kong is just six to 12 months behind the rest of the world.
Remember, we led freer lives while they were locked down. Our current nightmare scenario feels particularly bad, as virtually all other countries in the world have been through this and are now in a position to open their borders and remove social distancing restrictions.
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The fact is Hong Kong has seen record daily case numbers and deaths during this wave, with the unvaccinated (including those who are not fully vaccinated) comprising over 90 per cent of deaths.
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