The Covid-19 epidemic continues to inconvenience people’s living one way or the other, with many locked up in quarantine hotels or isolation camps. While the temporary loss of one’s freedom is certainly an unpleasant experience, few would go to extremes to vandalise the facilities, many of which were built by mainland authorities to help combat the raging fifth wave of outbreak. The behaviour is irresponsible and makes a mockery of the concerted efforts between Hong Kong and the mainland in fighting the virus. The severity of the matter is reflected in the 2,000-odd damage reports among the community isolation centres in just a month. These include broken home appliances, unnatural blockage and damage of pipes and toilet seats. Food remains and human excrement were also found on mattresses and the walls of some units. The special government squad managing the facilities held a press briefing to highlight the problems and appeal for responsible use of the facilities. Those compulsorily confined within these makeshift premises are understandably upset by the arrangement. But no grievances can justify vandalism. Their irresponsible acts may not only bring them legal liability, but also increase the workload of cleaners and undermine the city’s capacity to cope with the epidemic. That said, the damage reports say something about the discontent among those inconvenienced by the government isolation policy. Some may feel upset that they have been put inside the camp while others are allowed to stay home. There were also reports of people’s needs not being taken care of. While it is unrealistic for anyone to expect five-star hotel staycation services, the authorities should be more sensitive to the emotions and the needs of the quarantined. Vandalism of Covid-19 facilities is not unique to Hong Kong. In May 2020, chaos erupted in southwest India when people vandalised a quarantine centre. Last summer, two vaccination centres were ransacked in France as people protested against the introduction of tougher coronavirus rules. While the scale of the problems in Hong Kong is relatively minor, the damage reports have given the city a bad name and done a disservice to our anti-epidemic efforts.