An annual poll designed to gauge Hong Kong residents’ psychological health, which has been conducted by the Mental Health Month Organizing Committee since 2012, shows the average psychological health level in Hong Kong in the first half of this year reached a new low at 45.12 points, way below the satisfactory level of 52. The random-sampling phone poll received valid answers from 1,002 respondents to questions concerning six factors affecting their mental condition. Not surprisingly “social controversies” and the COVID-19 pandemic were blamed for many people’s anxieties and even depression.
The yearlong “black revolution”, launched by the opposition camp and spearheaded by separatist groups using the now-withdrawn extradition law amendment bill as an excuse, has done far greater damage to Hong Kong in every way imaginable than any other unrest in history except for the Japanese occupation during World War II. It therefore qualifies as the worst of the “social controversies” that most, if not all, local residents know today. That means stopping the spread of COVID-19 and the fallout of the “black revolution” is without question the top priority for Hong Kong society as well as the special administrative region government.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a natural calamity that can be contained effectively with science and technology, as has been shown undeniably on the mainland, but there is a catch: Efforts to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus have to be free of disruptions by politics and other unscientific maneuvers. Unfortunately, the masterminds and organizers of the “black revolution” are still hellbent on keeping their evil cause going by ordering and probably paying brainwashed followers to obstruct the war on COVID-19 with unauthorized “protests” in violation of social-distancing rules.
For example, ever since the SAR government launched the Universal Community Testing Programme on Sept 1, small groups of protesters bearing separatist signs and shouting anti-mainland and anti-government slogans have been “protesting” outside testing stations almost daily, despite the fact that multiple asymptomatic cases of coronavirus infection have been found through nucleic acid testing since the program began. While there is no way for the public to know if any of those “protesters” have been infected unless they admit to it, it is fair to assume they pose a real threat to public health by gathering in a small space and screaming, with or without masks.
The poll also included work, school and family as likely causes of anxiety and depression. What the results did not show is the simple fact that the “black revolution” has been seriously aggravating all those negative factors for more than a year now. As such, it is safe to call the “black revolution” a political epidemic, which has proved lethal and must be stopped by any means necessary. Otherwise, there is no hope of restoring peace and order in Hong Kong, nor resuming economic development and improving people’s well-being for that matter.
