Since early July, the third wave of COVID-19 infections has been dominating our headlines, overwhelming our hospitals, and once again spreading among our residents fear and paranoia.
Over 12 days till early this week, triple-digit new cases were recorded every day across Hong Kong. The situation has become very worrying with most public hospitals reaching 80 percent capacity.
In order to control the rapid-fire spread, we need to step up the 8,000 daily tests that are currently taking place. While it may sound far-fetched to test all 7.5 million people in the city, extending the coverage of the tests is the only viable solution that will allow us to trace the source of the outbreak, and then cut the ongoing chain of infections.
Time is of the essence, and the benefit of testing a high proportion of the Hong Kong resident population is extremely time-sensitive.
We must also consider the well-being of our medical staff — who have been working around the clock since January — as they are our last defense, which is certainly being pushed to near the breaking point.
I fear that with matters such as this, I must speak plainly: We have nearly drained all of our resources against this invisible enemy, and time is running out.
June was by far our best month this year up to now, as almost no local outbreak was reported; and we only recorded one or two local cases daily every 10 to 20 days.
However, past loopholes in our measures that allowed overseas ship crews and air crews to be exempted from quarantine have surely contributed to the spread in our community. The scientific community has proved this, and the government has since addressed the problem.
If the government did not delay the election, with 4.1 million registered voters, and an expected turnout of 70 percent, and tens of thousands of volunteers working in some 600 polling stations across Hong Kong, the risk of creating an even sharper surge in infections is all too obvious
The government still needs to ensure beyond doubt that those who are required to partake in the obligatory 14-day quarantine remain isolated from the local community. In addition, a strict system must be put in place to ensure that these quarantine and post-quarantine procedures are strictly followed.
And bearing in mind the obvious space constraints in our city, we must acknowledge the challenge of living for 14 days in isolation and do our best to alleviate the problem.
The government has been overloaded but there is still plenty it can do to guarantee that these measures are strictly adhered to, and it can also encourage residents to be supportive.
And given that every district across Hong Kong has reported cases, this presents an even more pressing need to test the entire population, or at least a large proportion of it.
Hong Kong patently does not have the capacity and therefore needs outside help. Therefore I support Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in seeking help from the central government.
The Chinese mainland has set the gold standard for controlling the spread of COVID-19, so it is certainly the best source of aid at this hour of need.
The central government has understandably expressed concern over Hong Kong’s current situation. The daily number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong has been roughly twice that of the entire mainland’s.
Over the last few days, the mainland’s scientific and health community has helped in the building of a temporary hospital at AsiaWorld-Expo. The 500-bed facility also comes with a seven-strong team of scientists who will be helping with research and testing in Hong Kong.
The central government has also pledged to help build another temporary hospital at the AsiaWorld-Expo convention center with more beds, should the need arise.
While we should be grateful for such help, some local medical professionals have been skeptical or even disdainful. Some have gone as far as claiming language barrier as an issue, which strikes me like a flimsy excuse.
Putonghua is spoken by many in Hong Kong and it is also the lingua franca. And for those locals who are unable to speak Putonghua, English is another shared language that many — if not all — in the scientific community can use to communicate across borders.
At a time as crucial as this, the first priority must be the health of Hong Kong people, followed by the social and economic well-being of our city. Whatever the issue is with these skeptics, saving lives must come first and should not be turned into a political issue.
As for populationwide testing — which has been offered free of charge by the central government — we must allow them to step in and do what it can to alleviate, or even put an end to, the pandemic in Hong Kong, as they have done in most cities on the mainland.
On the affordability side of things, currently, a single COVID-19 test in Hong Kong costs from HK$1,000 ($129) to HK$3,000; so why should anyone turn down the offer of the central government which will be free?
The third wave has also delayed the Sept 6 Legislative Council election. It may seem drastic, but elections should not override public health on the city’s list of priorities. The delay is a necessary step to prevent any further spread of the virus, as elections in around 69 countries and regions in other parts of the world, as well as the Tokyo Olympic Games, have been delayed.
Before the third wave, which emerged in early July, the opposition had held protests on July 1. Then on July 11 and 12, they conducted a “primary election” with more than 250 polling stations set up across the city; they claimed 610,000 voters had gathered at the tiny polling stations. These gatherings have most likely contributed to the spread of the virus.
If the government did not delay the election, with 4.1 million registered voters, and an expected turnout of 70 percent, and tens of thousands of volunteers working in some 600 polling stations across Hong Kong, the risk of creating an even sharper surge in infections is all too obvious.
And it is not just election day itself that is problematic. Events leading up to it are equally worrying. Campaigning that is expected to be more intense than ever will inevitably draw in large crowds in public places. No amount of precautions could mitigate health risks.
Life is certainly not ideal for anyone in Hong Kong at the moment, but just as we did successfully earlier in the year, accepting short-term sacrifice to avoid bigger losses in the long run must be the obvious choice. We must unite for the sake of our city, its prosperity, and the people.
The author is president of Wisdom Hong Kong, a think tank.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
