Aside from the massive anecdotal evidence, the 8.9 percent contraction in the first-quarter GDP — the steepest-ever quarterly plunge — has been more than enough to attest to the very negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on Hong Kong’s economy.

But the pandemic is just the proverbial last straw. The local economy had already been wracked by months-long violence perpetuated by black-clad rioters, or “black shirts”, before COVID-19 descended on the city.

With the coronavirus now under control in the city and on the Chinese mainland, some experts have sensibly predicted it will have only a short-term impact on the economy. Every pandemic or epidemic eventually subsides, as history shows. What concerns people more is the “political virus”, which the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council (HKMAO) has just warned about in a statement.

Uncertainty, particularly of the type caused by political wrangling, has proved to be the biggest obstacle to investment. Investors see uncertainty as the most worrying factor when making any investment decision. This explains why the HKMAO warned that the “political virus” is eroding the foundation of Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity, which are essentially the key values and attractions of the city.

What makes the “political virus” more harmful to Hong Kong than the novel coronavirus is its tenacity, ferocity and ruthlessness, as evidenced by the resurgence of violence and vandalism last week after a brief lull — in total disregard for the hardships Hong Kong people are currently experiencing.

Street violence and vandalism are just two of the many manifestations of the “political virus”. It has an equally, if not more, pernicious presence in the Legislative Council in the form of malicious filibustering aimed at paralyzing the legislature, which plays a pivotal role in the normal operations of the city. 

Whatever the manifestations, the toxicity and lethal nature of the “political virus” stems from the perverse “burn together” mentality. Such a mentality demonstrates just how desperate the political radicals are to pursue their political objectives. People who call Hong Kong home and hope to lead a rewarding and comfortable life in the city cannot afford to sit on their hands anymore; they must do something now to stop these scorched-earth politics before it is too late.