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Hong Kong lockdown: from pork to packaging to lack of vegetarian options, residents upset over food supplied

  • Members of some ethnic and religious groups question contents of government meals, though officials point to inclusion of bread, snacks and fruit
  • Some 10,000 people have been sealed off since 4am on Saturday in the Yau Tsim Mong district as authorities carry out Covid-19 testing

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Government officers stand guard at the perimeter of the lockdown zone in Yau Ma Tei. Photo: Sam Tsang

Residents inside a locked down Hong Kong neighbourhood have expressed concerns about their food supplies, with some raising questions over the inclusion of pork, a lack of vegetables, and no hot meals in packages from the government.

Some 10,000 people have been sealed off since 4am on Saturday in the Yau Tsim Mong district, as officials carry out emergency testing for Covid-19.
With members of ethnic minorities and a significant number of elderly people living in the some 200 buildings under lockdown, the food being provided has been brought into question.

In response, senior Hong Kong officials said they had been delivering meals to the needy, and included non-meat options in food packages, offering items such as bread, snacks and fruit.

Yau Tsim Mong lockdown on Jan 23
Yau Tsim Mong lockdown on Jan 23

The government said workers at temporary stations would supply each resident with a light meal that included instant noodles, drinks, and fruit. A bottle of hand sanitiser and a box of masks were also provided.

Laura Westbrook is a correspondent covering Hong Kong. Prior to joining the Post, Laura was a reporter, presenter and senior producer at BBC World News in London. She has also worked as a news reporter in Hong Kong and New Zealand.
Christy Leung is a senior reporter and has written about crime and security-related stories for the Post's Hong Kong desk since 2015. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Media Communication and German Studies, Christy began her journalism career in 2010 by working for Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin before joining Asia Television as a news anchor and reporter. Her work has been recognised in the WAN-IFRA Asia Media Awards 2016 and the Newspaper Society’s 2020 Hong Kong News Award.
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