Lam Urges Stay Home, Protesters Come Out

Carrie Lam adjusting her mask throughout the press conference this evening

Just as people were tucking into dinner this evening, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced civil servants would start working from home again from Monday, that libraries, outdoor sports grounds, fitness centres and museums would be closed again, and there would be stricter enforcement of quarantine measures on those travelers arriving into Hong Kong.

The number of cases shot up again today to a total of 273 confirmed infections and two more deaths, putting many in the city on edge.

Buenos Aires Polo Club is now closed for disinfection

"It is a critical moment, as the flood of inbound residents is expected to last for two more weeks," Lam said, adding the risk of a massive community outbreak was at its highest in two months. Throughout the press conference her mask would slip down, sometimes past her nose and she had to keep adjusting it.

In addition, the crucial DSE examinations for secondary students has been postponed to the end of April, and schools in general continue to be suspended until further notice, said Secretary of Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung.

Four people were found to be violating their home quarantines thanks to them posting about it on social media, and Lam says they were arrested and will be prosecuted. The maximum penalty is HK$25,000 (US$3,222) or six months in jail. The four have been sent to government quarantine camps.

Today one restaurant group called Black Sheep Restaurants announced in an email to patrons and on social media that two of its restaurants had guests recently who tested positive. Both Buenos Aires Polo Club and Carbone are closed indefinitely for disinfection. There will be more cases like this cropping up.

July 21 last year white-shirted men attacked protesters in MTR

There were assumptions that the government would limit the number of patrons in restaurants in bars, but Lam didn't say this, and instead asked the public and the hospitality industry to exercise caution.

"I appeal to all residents, for the good of themselves, for their families, and for Hong Kong, please reduce all unnecessary going out, and avoid meal gatherings," she said. "I appeal to the relevant industry, for the sake of public health, to adjust their operations and lower risks for their customers."

It's going to be even harder for restaurants and bars to justify staying open if they have to find ways to "lower risks to customers", and how will this be enforced?

But it's imperative that Hongkongers collectively do everything they can to reduce the chance of infection from the coronavirus, which means ideally staying at home most of the time.

Tonight police were armed with tear gas and pepper spray

However this evening marked the eight-month anniversary of the Yuen Long attacks, and there were black-clad protesters gathered in the district. At least 100 people showed up, chanting slogans, such as "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times", "Five demands not one less", and "Hong Kong independence is the only way out", and setting fire to cardboard.

The police arrived late to the scene, and as expected, fired tear gas and pepper spray. There was also a sit-in at Times Square shopping mall in Causeway Bay.

So much for social distancing. But some people believe the fight for justice and democracy needs to continue regardless of the current public health crisis...