Letters | How to ensure Hong Kong’s mass at-home testing is not a futile exercise
- Readers discuss the loophole in the voluntary testing exercise, pandemic policy fatigue, and the need for more fine-grained Omicron data
The vast majority of positive cases are asymptomatic and people recover in a matter of days. I would be all sorts of a fool to subject myself to needlessly miserable quarantine if I were to test positive.
To get the most cooperation and honest reporting, the government should clearly state that those who test positive have a choice of home isolation. Short of that option, the whole exercise will be a waste of resources and produce meaningless data.
People need a clear goal to strive for.
Lam Kam Sing, Tai Po
Vaccine pass may be a hassle, but one we’ve to live with
Residents have a right to express their resentment towards the government for its frequently changing pandemic policies, which cause much hassle and can be disorienting. We might be fed up too with fighting the pandemic. But what can we do about it?
If you don’t like the regulations here in Hong Kong, perhaps you can consider emigrating to other places. But mind you, there are no utopian places in this world.
Randy Lee, Ma On Shan
Better Omicron data needed to plan an exit strategy
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has pledged to maintain the city’s international status. Here’s what she can do.
Hong Kong’s death figures are higher simply because our officials were complacent and slow to identify and protect the most vulnerable in our society before the fifth wave hit and surged. But now that the mainland has helped us get our act together in protecting those vulnerable people, the number of deaths is declining fast.
Omicron offers opportunity rather than risk. Based on the actual health implications, there is no good reason why Hong Kong could not follow Singapore’s example and open up to the world without quarantine.
But if Hong Kong opens up to international visitors, we must be able to guarantee that no cases cross the border into China until they have also learned to live with the virus – which may be a long time coming.
Christian Rogers, Wan Chai