Coronavirus review has to offer suffering Hong Kong hope
- Core features of antivirus strategy, including flight bans, school suspensions, quarantine rules and planned mass testing exercise, will be reconsidered
When the history of Hong Kong’s battle against Covid-19 is written, yesterday’s revelation that the government is to subject its strategy to a “midterm review” might prove to be a pivotal point.
Core features of the city’s policy, including flight bans, school suspensions, quarantine rules and a planned mass testing exercise, are all to be reconsidered.
A change of direction or, at least, a reconfiguration of the strategy, could be on the way. Much will depend on the results of the review, due to be announced on Sunday or Monday.
There is certainly a need for reflection. The daily number of infections and the death rate remain at a very high level, even though the fifth wave of cases is said to have peaked early in the month.
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But Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor conceded on Thursday that people’s appetite for tough measures is fading and some financial institutions are losing patience with the city’s isolated status.
More than two years of strict measures have curtailed the daily lives of residents and made travel difficult, if not impossible. This has taken a heavy toll.
Lam’s announcement of a review followed strong comments from top central government official Xia Baolong, who chaired the latest high-level meeting on the outbreak in Shenzhen. He established clear priorities and called on the government to take action.
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Crucially, Xia urged officials to plan for the next phase of the pandemic in an orderly way. The city’s policies have tended to be reactive and there have been numerous U-turns. This has contributed to a sense of confusion, frustration and helplessness among Hong Kong people. The trust and support of the public must be won back.
There is a need for clarity. The review of the city’s policies should lead to a road map establishing the steps to be taken to enable it to emerge from the crisis. Saving lives remains the priority and the community cannot let down its guard.
But there is also a need for people to be given hope that some day soon the Covid-19 nightmare will end, daily life will return to normal and Hong Kong will reconnect with the rest of China and the world.
