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Hong Kong fourth wave: experts warn of business closures, shopping mall curfew ‘if residents don’t cooperate’ as city records 74 new Covid-19 cases
Hong Kong’s leading health experts have called for the closure of non-essential businesses and the reduction of opening hours in shopping malls, given the large number of people who are still away from home despite daily warnings that the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the city could escalate out of control. at the current rate of infection. Another 74 cases were confirmed on Sunday. All but four were hired locally and 25 of them were untraceable, underscoring the alarming spread throughout the city. “Although people have been away and less between Monday and Friday, from Saturday onwards, there has been a lot of traffic and large crowds in the shopping malls,” Professor David Hui Shu-cheong said in a television interview. “It shows that the residents are not very cooperative.” Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the great stories originating from China. The infectious disease expert, who advises the government on the pandemic, suggested shopping malls, which were packed with shoppers on Sunday, should close six to eight hours early. Supermarkets could stay open, he said, but non-essential businesses like hair salons or clothing stores should be closed. Hui also urged the public to stay home and avoid parties or large gatherings with Christmas and the New Year just around the corner. If people don’t cooperate with social distancing rules and pandemic restrictions, a curfew could be needed to stop the relentless spread of the coronavirus, he warned. “It will be difficult to monitor private meetings. If residents cannot follow all these intensified measures, then we may have to implement a curfew, like in Melbourne, and only allow people to go outside for an hour to run, ”he said. But Hui again rejected the need for a mandatory mass testing scheme, as suggested by pro-system politicians, saying such a move would not be effective unless started at the beginning of an outbreak. “We would need packaged measures that we could activate in a short time, such as blocking across the city for up to four weeks. We would need consensus from both businesses and residents. Even flights may have to stop.” Dr. Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, another infectious disease specialist, echoed Hui’s warning that stricter rules might be necessary. “Stronger social distancing measures have been in place for about two weeks, but it appears not there are signs of efficiency, “Tsang said.” If there are still a lot of people on the streets, even if business opening hours have been reduced, the next step would be a city closure. ” Respiratory medicine expert Dr. Leung Chi Chiu, however, did not think that taking such drastic measures, which could damage the economy, would be effective in slowing the spread of the virus. Increasing the fine can serve as a deterrent, but the government’s effort alone is not enough. We also need residents to be disciplined and stay home. Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung “If there is no certainty that the epidemic will be controlled during the period [of business suspension] … The result will ultimately be failure, ”Leung said. Hong Kong has further strengthened social distancing measures since the beginning of this month, including reducing the number of people per restaurant table to two. Since December 10, restaurants have been banned from providing dinner services after 6 p.m. Over the past week, authorities issued 118 fines for those who violate mask use regulations or exceed the limit of two people in gatherings public. The fines were officially raised from HK $ 2,000 to HK $ 5,000 on December 11. “Increasing the fine can serve as a deterrent, but the government’s effort alone is not enough. We also need residents to be disciplined and stay home, ”Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung wrote on his blog on Sunday. Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan, Head of the Communicable Diseases Branch of the Center for Health Protection, took a more measured tone. “Any meeting between people presents a risk of transmission, since the disease is communicable even without symptoms,” he said. “Hong Kong has done well in the past, our mask wearing rate is very high and we have reduced meetings as much as possible, so we may need to be patient for a longer period of time.” daily infections had dropped from 109 the day before, but he said the overall increase remained a cause for concern. “We can’t just look at one or two days. Hopefully, it will remain stable and gradually decrease, ”he said. With the emergence of a more infectious mutated coronavirus strain, VUI-202012/01, in Britain this month, Chuang said authorities will continue to monitor imported cases. It had already stepped up preventive measures for returnees from abroad, including the obligation to self-quarantine in specific hotels, as well as conducting a third coronavirus test. Chinese expert calls for more investigation into the ‘environmental spread’ of Covid-19 Sunday also marked the death of one more Covid-19 patient, an 84-year-old woman who was a resident of Ho Yuk Ching Willow Lodge, where an outbreak was linked . Hong Kong’s official coronavirus count is now 8,152 cases, with 130 related deaths. More infections also emerged from existing nursing homes and groups in the city on Sunday, while residents of additional residential buildings were ordered to submit to the virus. Among the affected locations are the Hong Kong Society for Aging Society Mrs YK Fung Home for the Elderly in Lam Tin and the Haven of Hope Sau Mau Ping Day Activity Center and Shelter, where each reported one staff member infected. Blocks were also asked to undergo coronavirus testing after multiple infections were reported. These were Yat Lai House at Yau Lai Estate in Yau Tong, where a total of seven cases were reported from three floors in the block, and Lam Tai House at Lam Tin Estate, where three units each recorded one infection. The home at Shek Lai Estate was also a possibility, according to officials, as another resident preliminarily tested positive on Sunday after infections were previously reported in three other apartments. Chuang said that mandatory tests would be imposed on the housing block if the latest case was Transmission of the coronavirus may also have taken place at the Mong Kok branch of Hong Kong Advanced Imaging, an imaging center. Two employees at the center were among the latest confirmed cases, after a Covid-19 patient underwent a CT scan there on Dec. 7. The new guide aims to help Hong Kong residents overcome the stress of being quarantined Four more cases linked to the group at the Sha Tin branch of the Yata department store were also recorded, while the outbreaks at Billy Sir Classroom and Glow Spa and Salon each registered two new cases. Meanwhile, the 62-year-old woman’s daughter who died while waiting to be quarantined after a family member contracted the virus, on Sunday accused health authorities of mismanagement. The older woman had suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure. Chuang, who expressed regret over the matter, said authorities will try to send all close contacts to quarantine centers within 24 hours. She said additional records will also be kept in special situations, such as people who have a physical disability or require additional care. Separately, a report on the third phase of the trial of the coronavirus vaccine manufactured by Sinovac Biotech is expected by Wednesday. Hui said. , with the government to hold a meeting in January to review the results and decide whether to activate the purchase agreement with the continental company. Additional Report by Lilian Cheng More from the South China Morning Post: * New Covid-19 Quarantine Rules for Domestic Employees Leave Hong Kong Employers Struggle to Find Cheaper Hotel Rooms * Seven Passengers Found with Covid-19, but Qatar Airways escapes ban thanks to loophole in Hong Kong test rules This article Hong Kong fourth wave: Experts warn of business closings, shopping center curfew ‘if residents don’t cooperate’ as city registers 74 new Covid-19 cases first appeared on the South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
