Free flat, flagging jabs, fresh variants: a look back at Hong Kong’s biggest coronavirus stories of 2021
- To many, 2021 was the year the pandemic was meant to finally recede into the background, but this New Year is starting to look a bit like the last one
- Vaccination rates among key groups remains stubbornly low, travel has become a major headache and the border with mainland China is still closed
Hong Kong is wrapping up its second year of the pandemic with a fresh Covid-19 scare involving the highly transmissive Omicron variant, one that follows warnings from health officials that “any spark could ignite the start of the fifth wave in the city”.
After more than 80 days without a local case, Hong Kong’s efforts to keep out the virus were ultimately undone by aircrew flouting home isolation rules, resulting in at least two community infections.
The city has remained steadfast in its pursuit of a “zero-Covid” strategy, implementing strict measures for quarantine, social distancing and vaccinations in hopes of a much-anticipated border reopening with mainland China.
But authorities have struggled with a sluggish vaccination uptake, driven by public distrust. The business sector offered a slew of big prizes to encourage people to get jabbed, but inoculation rates among the elderly had remained alarmingly low.
As of Friday, just 7.2 per cent of those aged 70 and above had received at least one dose.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s ever-changing rules have often left hopeful returnees rushing to change travel plans as the “high-risk” list grows bigger.
To many, 2021 was the year the pandemic was meant to finally recede, but with concerns rampant over Omicron’s spread, this New Year’s Eve is starting to look a bit like the last one. Below the Post highlights some of the past year’s biggest coronavirus-related stories.