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

Natalie Wong

Lilian Cheng

Beijing officials and state media have been urging Hong Kong to stick with the “dynamic zero-Covid” strategy, warning that any shift towards “living with the virus” will result in disaster for the city and the deferment of any resumption of quarantine-free travel with mainland China.
The warnings, from a senior mainland health official and the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, came as Hong Kong reported 614 new coronavirus infections on Monday, the highest daily number since the pandemic began two years ago.
“The so-called ‘living with the virus’ strategy has not been scientifically proven. Implementing it will bring enormous pressure on the medical system, not to mention resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland,” People’s Daily said in a commentary.


Ahead of a meeting of the Executive Council, the Hong Kong leader’s de facto cabinet, member Dr Lam Ching-choi told the Post the city did not have the conditions to relax social-distancing measures or open up unless the vaccination rate – including for the elderly – reached 90 per cent. Currently it sits at around 80 per cent of the overall eligible population but the rate is much lower among the elderly.
Former Hospital Authority chief executive Leung Pak-yin, however, said further tightening measures aimlessly would not be effective in taming the fifth wave – fuelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant – as he expected the daily caseload to reach four digits within three days.

He added that whether one could cross the border without quarantining should not be restrained by the government’s anti-epidemic strategy but his or her own infection risk.
So far, the government has adhered to a strategy of “dynamic zero infections”, a phrase first coined by mainland authorities.
Under stringent social-distancing measures, many establishments were forced to shut, with public gatherings limited to four people. Long lines also formed outside screening stations over the weekend, as compulsory testing orders were handed to more than 60 premises.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor last month said “dynamic zero infections” did not mean Hong Kong had to reach zero cases for the border to reopen. But she did not explain the difference between “dynamic zero” and “zero” infections, saying she did not come up with the phrase so could not give “an authoritative explanation” about it.




Elaborating on the concept on Monday, the People’s Daily commentary said “dynamic zero-Covid’’ did not mean the pursuit of “zero infections”, but an overall strategy aimed at “early discovery, speedy handling … effective treatment, so the pandemic will not cause continuous community transmission”.
It said: “[The strategy] embodies an anti-epidemic concept that prioritises people and lives, which has also been proven to achieve maximum results with minimum cost.”
In line with the article, National Health Commission disease control expert Liang Wannian told a local television show the “dynamic zero” strategy was still applicable to Hong Kong, which he regarded as “a city of higher risk”, considering the financial hub’s dense population and frequent international exchanges.
Recovering Covid-19 patients complain of prolonged stay at Hong Kong facility
He suggested that policymakers trace close contacts of patients through big data informatics and expand the scope of mass testing.
“We can live with the virus only after there is more effective medication … It’s too early to ‘lay flat’,” he said, using a popular phrase for doing nothing.
Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of semi-official think tank the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said he believed Beijing had attempted to prevent those affected by stringent Covid-related measures from undermining the city government’s credibility.
“Public distrust in the anti-epidemic efforts could pose resistance to the government’s efforts in implementing other policies,” he said.


Recent surveys showed residents held divergent views about strategies to tackle the current wave of infections.
A Democratic Party poll last month showed that 65 per cent of respondents said Hong Kong should study or prepare for living with the virus. Another one around the same time by the pro-Beijing Bauhinia Institute found that 68 per cent agreed that adopting the “dynamic zero-Covid” strategy would be in line with the interests of society.
Ex-Hospital Authority chief Leung was one of the few health professionals to have spoken out against the containment policy before the city’s daily tally hit three digits last month, saying it would be ineffective with large outbreaks.

Speaking to the Post on Monday, he urged policymakers against adopting “an old pathway” by aimlessly tightening social-distancing measures at public premises and conducting mass testing on a larger scale.
“It’s only wishful thinking if the government believes this wave of infections can be curbed through these measures alone,” he said, considering the highly transmissible nature of the Omicron variant.
Hong Kong hits record 351 Covid-19 infections, plans for ‘worst-case scenario’
Instead, it should put its efforts into formulating contingency plans for the government, public bodies and hospitals for four-digit caseloads.
“You can’t simply close a place whenever one case is identified,” he said, suggesting asymptomatic patients be allowed to resume work after multiple rapid tests conducted over several days returned negative results.
Exco member Lam said the term “living with virus” could be confusing as people had different interpretations, yet Hong Kong would never take the “do-nothing” or “lay flat” approach like the United States or England.


The Hong Kong government would still devote its resources to quarantine and containment to control the spread of the virus.
“We have no other options at this point. The situation is now so severe that all of our measures have to be tough,” Lam said.
“It’s only when our overall population reaches a 90 per cent vaccination rate, including a high injection rate among the elderly, then we may consider some other approaches, such as relaxing some social-distancing measures.”
He added: “It does not matter what term or name people give the strategy. The most important thing is the government will never ‘lay flat’ and give up on controlling the pandemic, so people’s lives and livelihood will not be jeopardised.”
Hong Kong to buy millions of rapid tests amid ‘worst wave’ of Covid-19 cases
Epidemiologist Professor Ben Cowling said while he could see the advantages of zero-Covid approaches, the city’s containment measures would become impractical because of the rising case numbers.
“I can see the advantages of the zero-Covid approach, but there’s no reason to expect that case numbers will drop under current control measures given that infections have been exponentially increasing in recent weeks,” he said.


Coronavirus: Hong Kong urged to maintain ‘dynamic zero-Covid’ policy, with Beijing officials and state media warning shift will mean disaster for city

The government has no choice but to continue with its current policy of lockdowns and quarantine, an Executive Council member says. Photo: Jelly Tse

Long lines form as residents wait at a mobile testing station in Hong Kong. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong’s current Covid-19 outbreaks

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Coronavirus

Greater China


Strategy embodies anti-epidemic concept that ‘prioritises people and lives, which has also been proven to achieve maximum results with minimum cost’, People’s Daily says
Shift away from policy will affect resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland, it warns



The strategy embodies an anti-epidemic concept that prioritises people and lives, which has also been proven to achieve maximum results with minimum cost, People’s Daily says in a commentary.


Coronavirus: Hong Kong urged to maintain ‘dynamic zero-Covid’ policy, with Beijing officials and state media warning shift will mean disaster for city

Strategy embodies anti-epidemic concept that ‘prioritises people and lives, which has also been proven to achieve maximum results with minimum cost’, People’s Daily says Shift away from policy will affect resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland, it warns

Strategy embodies anti-epidemic concept that ‘prioritises people and lives, which has also been proven to achieve maximum results with minimum cost’, People’s Daily says

Shift away from policy will affect resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland, it warns