Social anxiety and wanderlust are among Covid-19 pandemic’s lingering impact on Hong Kong

Even though Hong Kong is slowly returning to normal after the pandemic, its effects still weigh on our daily lives

Many students still wear masks out of health concerns or social anxiety, and local travellers are eager to get out of the city and see the world

3-MIN READ3-MIN

A man sleeps with a towel on his face at Hong Kong International Airport on July 6. Hongkongers’ interest in travel has surged in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, with travellers planning on leaving the city more often for longer trips and spending more while doing so. Photo: AFP

Mike Rowse

Mike Rowse has lived in Hong Kong since 1972, and is a naturalised Chinese citizen.

Published: 1:30pm, 16 Jul 2023

A recent holiday in Thailand got me reflecting on just how much damage the Covid-19 pandemic has done to all of us. A series of studies and surveys are showing just how deep the hurt has been, and how the effects continue to linger for many people.

The immediate purpose of the visit was to see my three grandchildren who live in Bangkok. Of course, we kept in touch over the phone during the period international travel basically shut down. But seeing a distant face on a small screen is not the same as seeing that person in the flesh, with the opportunity of a spontaneous hug.

Checking the dates of the last visit from passport chops, I realised with a sense of horror we had not been physically close for more than three years. In the interim, two of the children had become teenagers and the third had reached double figures in age. I had missed out on some of their most formative years.

But it’s not only me, and it’s not only Thailand. We have all had three years ripped out of our lives. That is time we will never get back.

The ultimate loss was suffered by the millions who actually died, and we should mourn their passing. But the immediate family of the deceased and close friends also suffered a loss, their grief severe and made especially acute if the obstacles to international travel removed the opportunity for a last goodbye.

Some patients are also reporting a long-term sense of fatigue and loss of memory. The phenomenon of what has been called “long Covid” will no doubt be studied in the months and years ahead.