bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Letters

I refer to your alarmingly pessimistic front-page headline “Fifth wave ‘could rage for months’” (January 24) which comes from a “government pandemic adviser”, the same “top health adviser” who only 10 days ago optimistically prompted another Post front-page headline “Omicron wave ‘could be over by early February’” (January 14).
Many correspondents to these columns are questioning the capability of our chief executive and her senior officials in handling this pandemic. It is becoming obvious their health advisers do not really have much of a clue when it comes to Covid-19.
Since 2019, this virus has been evolving, but our officials and their advisers seem to be fighting yesterday’s battles, indeed perhaps even from the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) days in 2003. There is now an overwhelming body of data from countries that have already experienced the Delta and Omicron waves, which behave more like a tsunami.
For Hong Kong, probably the most alarming piece of data from the United Kingdom is that the average age of those who have died from Covid is around 80 years. The vaccination rate among our elderly is comparatively low.
Hongkongers deserve a pragmatic response to the actual characteristics of this mutating virus, not emotional or political posturing based on the original Wuhan experience. The elderly, especially the poor, need urgent protection. But the rest of us should be able to handle Omicron without too much difficulty and then get on with our own lives.
Charlie Chan, Mid-Levels
‘Living with Covid’ is akin to giving up
Hong Kong is under the onslaught of two Covid-19 variants with case numbers increasing exponentially. Penny’s Bay is apparently a hellish place that few would like to set foot in. People were doubtful that the lockdown at Kwai Chung Estate was long enough to identify all those infected.
Some experts have raised questions about the feasibility of a zero-Covid strategy. Should Hong Kong instead adopt the laissez-faire approach that the Western world is deploying? The “living with the virus” attitude is a sign of weakness, akin to crossing our arms over our chest, standing back and inviting the virus in. Despite criticism from many quarters, our officials should not be fickle in their beliefs or actions.
For now, we must keep striving for higher vaccination numbers. While the vaccinated may still contract Covid-19, vaccines can help stave off serious infection and prevent death. Some people may have the ability to fight the virus without help, but vaccination can expand the number of people able to fight its most serious effects.
Randy Lee, Ma On Shan
Culling of hamsters was sad but necessary
I am writing in response to a recent article “Hong Kong hamster cull: drastic measure necessary to prevent ‘another disaster’ caused by Delta’s spread, top Covid-19 expert explains” (January 20). The outrage among pet owners and animal rights groups is understandable, but Hongkongers should be glad the government took action to minimise the risk of Covid-19 spreading from imported hamsters.
There are many reasons I support the government’s decision, the biggest of which is allocation of resources. As the Omicron variant drives Hong Kong’s fifth wave of infections, it is clear the government cannot meet the demand for workers, money or space. Residents are complaining about long queues at testing sites, quarantine hotel rooms are in short supply and several industries need government aid to survive.
Our government has to distribute its limited resources rationally and fairly. In light of the problems mentioned above, it is not unreasonable for authorities to decide not to devote time and money to quarantining and testing a large number of hamsters. Indeed, in culling the hamsters, the government took the most appropriate action available. It was an effective, low-cost approach that helped stop the potential spread of Covid-19 and freed up resources to deal with other problems.


This issue has also highlighted the possible dangers of Hong Kong’s dependence on imported goods. The government suspects hamsters imported from the Netherlands were infected with the Delta variant and spread it to customers and workers in pet shops. The government should encourage people to reduce the number of imported goods they buy. It should also limit imports from high-risk countries and subject them to stricter testing for Covid-19.
With less resistance to necessary measures like culling possible infected hamsters and more rigorous rules for imported goods, the fifth wave can hopefully be stopped much more quickly.
Jerry Ng, Tseung Kwan O
Hong Kong’s Covid-19 strategy gives elderly peace of mind
For many of us with elderly parents, life during the Covid-19 era has been filled with great emotional stress. I would like to thank the Hong Kong government for maintaining its strict Covid-19 prevention measures and allowing the elderly to have a normal life. Thanks to the government’s initiative to keep Covid-19 out of the city, I feel my parents are at less risk of contracting the virus and compromising their immune systems. I am sure everyone else with ageing parents feels the same about the government’s measures.

Rishi Teckchandani, Mid-Levels


Hong Kong is fighting yesterday’s Covid-19 battles

Health officials sit outside a block on Kwai Chung Estate on January 23 after the housing complex was placed under lockdown, one of the most drastic measures Hong Kong has taken to maintain its zero-Covid policy. Photo: Bloomberg

Health officials sit outside a block at Kwai Chung Estate on January 23 after the housing complex was placed under lockdown, one of the most drastic measures Hong Kong has taken to maintain its zero-Covid policy. Photo: Bloomberg

Opinion


Readers ask why Hong Kong’s response to Covid-19 has not evolved since the virus first emerged, argue against ‘living with Covid’, defend the government’s decision to cull hamsters, and argue that ‘zero-Covid’ has benefited the city’s elderly



Readers ask why Hong Kong’s response to Covid-19 has not evolved since the virus first emerged, argue against ‘living with Covid’, defend the government’s decision to cull hamsters, and argue that ‘zero-Covid’ has benefited the city’s elderly.


Coronavirus Hong Kong

Coronavirus vaccine

Hong Kong social distancing

Letters | Hong Kong is fighting yesterday’s Covid-19 battles

Readers ask why Hong Kong’s response to Covid-19 has not evolved since the virus first emerged, argue against ‘living with Covid’, defend the government’s decision to cull hamsters, and argue that ‘zero-Covid’ has benefited the city’s elderly