Hong Kong's New Record High Cases

All people must wear masks indoors from tomorrow

This evening I took the elevator down so that I could do my usual walk. Several floors down a Caucasian man in a singlet, shorts and runners came into the elevator -- without a mask.

Immediately sensing he was in the wrong, he tried to lift his tank top up to his nose as if this quasi covering was going to protect him as he breathed heavily. It was ridiculous.

Why are people still not taking wearing masks seriously? Especially when Hong Kong had a record 113 new cases today, 105 of which were local, though 63 of them were untraceable. The city now has 2,131 cases and 14 deaths.

Dr Chan urges people not to go out unnecessarily

From tomorrow, it is mandatory for people to wear masks indoors, though this seems like a half-hearted measure because people have been wearing masks indoors anyway. They cannot go into many establishments if they don't wear a mask already, and on public transport.

However a few days ago after the regulation was in place, I saw a guy with his mask under his chin in the MTR carriage as he scrolled through his phone; only when more passengers came in did he then pull the mask up. Perhaps a bit too late? Which part of confined space does he not get?

"The coming one to two weeks will be critical to the development of the epidemic situation," said Sophia Chan Siu-chee, Secretary for Food and Health. "I strongly urge all people to stay at home and refrain from going out unnecessarily. If the amount of confirmed cases increases further, we will not rule out more stringent control measures."

Chan also hinted the possibility of a lockdown, saying the government looked at other countries' practices, but also kept in mind people's daily needs in Hong Kong.

Chuang tells Covid-19 test takers to stay home

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch at the Centre for Health Protection also urged people who had taken the Covid-19 test to stay put while waiting for the results as they might be infected.

"If you have symptoms and have gone for a test, please stay at home," she said, noting some people who had submitted samples for the test had gone out in public and possibly passed on the virus to others.

There are so many factors of how Hong Kong got to the point of triple-digit cases, though pointing figures now is hardly productive. People need to mask up -- there is no excuse not to with so many masks available in various price ranges, and pay more attention to hygiene.

A friend finally stopped using her "fake mask" -- a flimsy mask that is more for protection against pollen -- and now wears a surgical mask, though she continues to pull it down when she walks outside. Again not taking it seriously, yet she complains of runners to breathe heavily as they run past her.

The vast majority of the city is pretty much at home for the evening as restaurants and other venues are closed from 6pm, but that doesn't mean people aren't having gatherings at home. A Singaporean acquaintance said that during their lockdown period, neighbours could file a report report if they saw their neighbour wasn't complying with social-distancing rules.

Wearing a mask on public transport is mandatory

But in Hong Kong that would be perceived as echoes of the Cultural Revolution!

However, if the number of cases continue to skyrocket, then maybe the snitching will have to be instituted, like that mask-less guy on the 25th floor...