Has Hong Kong adopted the wrong COVID-19 strategy?

[Tandy]

I think it's funny how everyone uses leisure travel as the measuring stick to justify zero covid--saving lives vs a trip to Paris. Everyone I know who hates the policy has been ripped away from their families for years. The diaspora is real, students are still studying abroad and even more have moved away completely. My friend lives alone and mourns that her kids haven't come to visit her in two years and have no prospect of coming again. On the business side I can't tell you the number of my friends whose businesses are on life support from the policy. Omicron is providing a little respite as the western autocrats are overjoyed to ruin people's lives again for another holiday season and giving a little more undeserved patience towards the zero covid model, but everyone I know running a business here (including ourselves) are trying to find how to keep their business from being smothered or planning their business closure to relocate somewhere that isn't being crazy about covid (unfortunately there are suddenly very few choices)

Zero covid's casualties are families, businesses, mental health and economies, and the fatality rate is much higher than the 0.018% global covid fatality rate.

And when omicron eventually does take a hold in hk--as it inevitably will, the shut downs and measures will put the last nail in our businesses coffins.

[njstone9]

This is absolutely correct. One of the most upsetting photos I saw recently was one of a boyfriend calling to his girlfriend at the border with Shenzhen.

This hits locals and non locals alike, especially given that so many here must have friends and family in Macau and the mainland.

[hullexile]

This is absolutely correct. One of the most upsetting photos I saw recently was one of a boyfriend calling to his girlfriend at the border with Shenzhen.

This hits locals and non locals alike, especially given that so many here must have friends and family in Macau and the mainland.

My friend has been separated from his wife and child for nearly two years. Australia/Philippines not China. His health has taken a major downturn.

[HK_Katherine]

UK just donated 5 million AZ to the Philippines. Dumped or donated? Either way gratefully received. AZ is effective and the clotting fear is exaggerated.

Absolutely. All my family in UK and many I know in Aus took AZ. It seems to be a highly effective vaccine without the storage complications of mRNA vaccines being produced for a fraction of the cost. I would happily take AZ as my booster if I could get my hands on some.

[stickyears]

I live in a zero-covid world from TheEconomist

We would all live in a zero covid world if it wasn't for this...

https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/...09846684884995

[Tandy]

While earlier notice would have probably helped, I blame the US govt that was planning and funding the research more than the country that covered it up at the beginning. None of this would have happened if the US hadn't been intentionally doing gain of function type research there (because it was illegal in the states)--something they're still trying desperately to cover and not talk about by calling it debunked conspiracy talk, even though we now have overwhelming evidence NIH was doing exactly that.

I guess in short there's lots of blame to go around, but there's a reason this kind of research is illegal (and there's a reason no one in the US is very interested in looking closer at the blame). Ultimately blame gets us no where but understanding how to not repeat it is priceless.

[stickyears]

https://twitter.com/webbhk/status/1473218235839713285

[East_coast]

Have you been to China?

It is the size of Europe and has much more geographic diversity - one could very happily send a lifetime travelling it

What will happen to China's share of global FDI if it keeps going down this isolationist route?

[GentleGeorge]

What will happen to China's share of global FDI if it keeps going down this isolationist route?

I think it will decrease? And I think it is a sacrifice that they are willing to make? I think this is the point I have been banging on about in my last five posts?

[Coolboy]

Covid is not the plague or ebola. It's something that, with vaccination and improved drug treatments, does not need to be particularly more deadly than pneumonia. Why is it so important to have a zero death from covid society, but not say, zero deaths from cancer?

Not debating your main point, just want to point out that most kind of cancers are not infectious from one person to the next like a viral pathogen (i.e. Covid). Cancer can be caused by prolonged exposure to certain external environmental contaminants (i.e. second hand smoking), but that isn't transmitted like a virus or bacteria.

Yes, in some cases cancer can be caused through a viral vector, like certain sexually transmitted HPV viruses. In a minority of cases, if the immune system for whatever reason cannot eliminate the sexually transmitted HPV, then there is a risk the HPV can cause cervical cancer in women. Even so, that isn't the same process of transmission by viral and bacteria diseases.