Hong Kong lockdown: was it worth it? A look at whether city’s harshest coronavirus measure was effective
- Complaints about the lockdown in Yau Tsim Mong range from an alleged lack of clarity from authorities on its timing to inadequate arrangements
- But experts say the percentage of infected people detected was higher than that found during mass testing last year
The city’s health minister has defended the move in the heart of the Yau Tsim Mong district as necessary, despite a 0.17 per cent positive rate and the fact that the whereabouts of people from about 470 flats remained unknown.
Residents have criticised the arrangements, saying they were unaware when the lockdown was expected to start. Officials have also come under fire for allegedly supplying improper food to many of those forced to remain indoors.
Here, the Post looks at Hong Kong’s strictest anti-pandemic measure yet and weighs whether the step was a success.
Was the timing right?
The government officially confirmed the measure when officers began locking down the restricted area, bordered by Woosung Street, Nanking Street, Battery Street and Kansu Street, at 4am on Saturday. Screening was expected to take 48 hours.