108 New Virus Cases, is HK Doing Enough?

Lam announced more measures today to curb virus numbers

Within the period of 4pm to 12am yesterday Hong Kong recorded 108 new cases, 83 of which were local, 25 imported.

This is a new record for the city, where a few days ago it was 67.

Another statistic is that since July 5 there were 519 new cases, 411 of which were local.

Lam and co are exempted from quarantine

As a result Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor held a press conference this afternoon -- on a Sunday -- with some of her minsters to announce further social-distancing measures.

Gyms, salons, karaoke lounges, cinemas and such will continue to be closed for another week, while restaurants will extend the measure of only offering takeaway from 6pm to 5am.

Masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces (wasn't that a given?!) and most civil servants will work from home for a week, with only emergency and essential services available.

In addition there will be more quarantine units, some 2,000 of them built near Disneyland, and AsiaWorld-Expo will be converted to house stable coronavirus patients, as health experts have warned her that there could be another spike in cases this coming winter.

With all these measures, is Lam and her administration doing enough to curb the spread of the virus?

While some of the blame might be on the public getting tired of wearing masks and social distancing, one might want to look at the list the government has issued on those who are exempt from quarantine -- and the list is very long, involving lots of different kinds of people.

HKEX company directors exempt from quarantine

There are 33 categories of people who do not have to go through two weeks of quarantine because they either bring goods into Hong Kong that are daily necessities, or are needed for governmental operations, business, education or manufacturing.

All government officials on official business are exempt from this -- which is why Lam has been seen in Beijing, then in Hong Kong without having to go through a two-week quarantine period.

Cross-border truck drivers, and airline and boat crews going across to China, Macau and Taiwan are exempt, as well as people who work at the slaughterhouse in Sheung Shui but live across the border, and those who work in companies that supply personal protective equipment (PPE) for Hong Kong.

Factory owners or managers who need to oversee their manufacturing operations on the mainland do not have to be quarantined, along with those who have construction projects across the border, lawyers doing work in either China, Taiwan or Macau, and those doing research and development work.

AsiaWorld-Expo will take stable virus patients

Directors of listed companies or applying to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are exempted too, academics involved in coronavirus research, and secondary students who live on the mainland and cross the border to come to Hong Kong for classes.

It's a long list, isn't it? Each category could range from a few to lots of people. If any of them were asymptomatic and carrying the virus into Hong Kong, they could be the ones spreading the coronavirus in the city without knowing it.

The fact that these people aren't even tested is a serious problem -- they must at least be tested, but no, they are allowed to go back and forth albeit for work or education purposes, but they could also be socializing with others and possibly passing on the virus.

Otherwise how else can you explain why there are so many cases that cannot be traced in the community?

Lam said today it was not feasible to test every single person in Hong Kong, over 7 million, which is why they are targeting high risk groups, but there are asymptomatic carriers who must be found.