Will Chinese Families Have Three Kids?

China now allows families to have three kids, but will they?

 

China is now encouraging families to have not just two children but three in an announcement made today due to a significant drop in the birth rate in the world's most populous country.

Xinhua reported the change was approved by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a politburo meeting. 

"To further optimize the birth policy, [China] will implement a one-married-couple-can-have-three-children policy," Xinhua said.

The cost of raising children is very expensive

Five years ago China finally scrapped its one-child policy that dates back to 1978, and allowed couples to have two children, but that didn't lead to a significant baby boom thanks to the rising costs of having children, as well as housing and education.

The announcement today was short on specifics in how it would give support and incentives to families to have more children.

Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank (China), said the government would have to offer subsidies, and maybe even set up a new tax system for companies to have the incentive to hire women of childbearing age.

"The high costs of housing and education, as well as a lack of job protection for women, are strong economic constraints on having children," she said, adding the cost of having a third child would be too high for most middle-class families.

This decision comes soon after the release of a summary of census data that pointed to a decline in births in China, and Yi Fuxian, a specialist in China's demographics, said the timing of the announcement so soon after the census summary suggested the detailed data to come would be extremely worrying.

Women's job prospects are low after childbirth

"Maybe it's because the real population data is too scary. Even if they have not published it, it probably frightened the decision makers," Yi said.

The once-in-a-decade census showed the population grew at its slowest rate during the last decade since the 1950s to 1.41 billion.

But the reality of the situation is that young, educated and ambitious women do not want to be baby-making machines. Many are happy to be single let alone married, and prefer having a successful career than the thankless task of looking after a husband and children.

While the government has tried to scorn these women online, that is not going to help the situation, as the ratio of women to men is much smaller, so the pool of women willing to have children is even smaller.

Company policies and attitudes are sexist and need to change -- during job interviews young men are usually chosen over young women because it is assumed the latter will get married soon and have children and then may quit the job. 

Maybe Peng can tell Xi what women go through?

If the government wants to boost the population, it must force employers to find ways to accommodate women before, during and after having children, to keep a job for them or at least give them the opportunity to come back from maternity leave, otherwise how are they going to afford their mortgage, childcare, and pay for education? 

It would be beneficial for companies to retain these workers too; many mothers just want a steady pay cheque, though it is less than what a man would earn in the same position.

So it's all very well and good for the government to tell families to have more children to increase the country's population, but there needs to be specific incentives, services and tax breaks to give couples the financial confidence to have children. 

Grandpa Xi really needs to step up on this issue and look at it from the women's perspective before deciding what carrots he will dangle in front of them.

Perhaps his wife Peng Liyuan, or his daughter Xi Mingze can give him suggestions...

Another Way to Remember

"Do not forget June 4" banner from 2019

Just to make sure there are no mass gatherings to commemorate the victims of the June 4 massacre, Hong Kong's security bureau says offenders can face up to five years in prison for attending and one year for promoting it.

"The relevant meetings and procession are unauthorized assemblies. No one should take part in it, or advertise or publicize it, or else he or she may violate the law," a statement said on Saturday.

For 30 years HKers remembered in Victoria Park

It added that whether or not the event involved violence was not relevant: "If any anyone attempts to challenge the law, including the Prohibition on Group Gathering, Public Order Ordinance, Hong Kong National Security Law, etc, the Police will deal with it seriously in accordance with the law."

And if that wasn't enough, people can also face charges under social distancing rules after police banned the rally because of the pandemic.

"You can go down to the street and light a candle -- that cannot be in any way against the law," Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China vice-chair Chow Hang-tung said earlier this week. "We are asking Hong Kong people to light a candle at 8pm, wherever you are. It's a different way of organizing."

Today the alliance, which up until two years ago organized the yearly event at Victoria Park for 30 years, announced an alternative way to mark the June 4 anniversary by going to its Kowloon museum this week, which coincidentally has a new exhibition.

"We are very sad that we are not able to hold a peaceful and orderly candlelight vigil this year," said Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong, a long-time member of the group who is now its secretary. "But that doesn't mean the alliance and Hong Kong citizens will not be able to carry on with their commemoration of June 4."

Laying flowers at the June 4 Museum

Mak Hoi-wah, the alliance's chairman, said the museum has set aside a corner for people to leave flowers. The museum will follow social-distancing measures which may mean longer wait times and Tsoi suggested people making bookings online. 

Tsoi added the event would be legal because it was being held on private property and therefore would not be subject to social-distancing measures of banning groups larger than four people. 

One newspaper columnist suggested that if China wanted to show the world that Hong Kong still had freedom of expression then it should allow the vigil to happen.

Interesting point, but we've gone this far down the road, it's too late to turn back...

Get Jabbed for a Chance to Win a Flat

A flat like this could be yours if you get your two vaccinations

Finally the numbers of people signing up to get vaccinations surged to 28,200 today, 10,500 for Sinovac, 17,700 for BioNTech.

The reason?

The chance to win a HK$10.8 million flat, and some other monetary prizes.

Enter the lucky draw to win a flat in Kwun Tong

Yesterday a group of companies: The Sino Group, Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation, and Chinese Estate Holdings announced they were sponsoring a lucky draw for a one-bedroom flat measuring 449 sq ft in Kwun Tong. But that's not all -- they will also donate 20 prizes with prepaid or credit card value of HK$100,000 each.

They heeded Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's call for companies to give out financial incentives to get the public to get jabs, as she didn't think it was the government's job to do that.

Huh.  

But at least this announcement worked so far. If there wasn't much of a response then it showed even money wouldn't move Hongkongers to roll up their sleeves and protect themselves and others.

However others still refuse to budge with the same reasons, that they were scared of the side effects, that the vaccines were rushed out too clearly and wanted more proof they were effective, or claimed their doctors advised them against it.

Chan says HK may not order more vaccines

But Secretary for Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee warned if more people didn't take up the vaccine, then it would be hard for Hong Kong to justify ordering more, considering others places were desperate for vaccines. 

She added when the time came for booster shots, those who hadn't had two shots yet would not be eligible.

Meanwhile the University of Hong Kong infectious disease expert Yuen Kwok-yung believed the fourth wave was over in the city with zero local infections for 28 days, but warned the fifth wave could be coming.

What?!

He said it was tricky to decide on whether to lift social-distancing measures, like limits on the number of people per group, and mandatory mask-wearing in public areas. Yuen said the focus should not be on easing restrictions, but on preparing for the fifth wave.

Yuen has tough suggestions for those not jabbed

However, Yuen recommended some benefits to those who had been vaccinated. For example they should be allowed to stay in restaurants until midnight, while those who haven't had the jab should only be allowed to eat at lunch time in restaurants, and outdoors at other times. 

If a building has a transmission of the virus and requires evacuation, those who are inoculated should be allowed to quarantine at home, while those who are not must do the 21 days in a government quarantine camp. 

And once adolescents are allowed to get the jab, then those should be allowed to be in the classroom, while those who haven't been inoculated must study from home.

Sounds harsh, but definitely an incentive to get the vaccine.

Carrie, any thoughts?

More Convictions for Illegal Rally

The October 1, 2019 march was not condoned by the police

Today 10 pro-democracy figures including Jimmy Lai Chee-ying were jailed for up to 18 months for organizing an illegal rally on National Day, October 1, 2019. They had pleaded guilty to the charge.

District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock was critical of the group, saying they consciously decided to break the law and challenge public order during a time of civil unrest, referring to the anti-government protests that year.

Figo Chan was sentenced to 18 months in prison

"They did call for a peaceful, rational and non-violent procession, but how naive and unrealistic was that considering what was happening on a daily basis was the opposite," Woodcock said, noting that Molotov cocktails were thrown along or near the procession route, and other acts of damage, arson and violence were captured on video that day.

Lai was handed a 14-month sentence, part of it to be served consecutively with his sentences in two other unauthorized protests, making it 20 months in jail.

Figo Chan Ho-wun, 25, is the convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front that organized many of the large-scale demonstrations in 2019. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison as Woodcock deemed him and three others to be most culpable because they held a press conference the night before National Day.

One of the defendants, former Democratic lawmaker Sin Chung-kai who was given a suspended sentence of 14 months, was disappointed to see his fellow activists jailed, calling the punishment "record-setting" and "unprecedented".

The march later led to violent clashes with police

"People should be aware of the consequences -- the court has changed," Sin said. "I think this is absolutely a setback for the democratic movement in Hong Kong and we have to rethink the overall strategies before we move forward."

The other convicted activists are former Democratic Party lawmakers Albert Ho Chun-yan and Yeung Sum; former Labour Party legislators Lee Cheuk-yan and Cyd Ho Sau-lan; former League of Social Democrats lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, and Avery Ng Man-yuen.

Another activist Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong also received a suspended sentence of 14 months for his passive role in the crime.

Leung's wife Chan Po-ying said he was convicted for the same offence in the 1990s and was fined only HK$500, and a few thousand dollars 10 years ago. Now Figo Chan, who has no previous convictions must spend almost two years in jail.

Sin Chung-kai had a suspended sentence

Samuel Chu, managing director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, said the group was outraged by the sentences, which he labelled as an attempt to create maximum terror and deterrence in the lead-up to the anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen Square crackdown. 

How much more bad news can people take? The insistence of Lai serving sentences consecutively instead of concurrently is very harsh. But the Department of Justice seems determined to punish him as much as possible, to punish the spirit of Hongkongers.

June 4 Candlelight Vigil Banned Again

Over 180,000 attended the last candlelight vigil in 2019

 

It looks like Hong Kong may never be able to mark the candlelight vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacre ever again.

The police banned the event from being held in Victoria Park for a second year in a row citing the ongoing pandemic, as only four people can gather in public.

At the event the victims are remembered

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China had planned to hold a march on Sunday and a vigil next Friday in memory of the crackdown, but both proposed events have been banned.

If it was given the green light, this coming June 4 event would have been the first held after the national security law was implemented, but Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung refused to exercise his power under the emergency health act to allow the event to go ahead.

It is hard to understand why this kind of a gathering cannot take place when the event is held outdoors, and everyone is wearing masks. If it is dangerous for people to gather, then why is swimming allowed in public pools, and people can pay to gather with their friends to watch movies or play croquet on government grounds near the Star Ferry in Central?

Why is it that people can be in a packed MTR or bus where they are inside a space, but not spread out outside in a park? It boggles the mind.

Why is this kind of social gathering acceptable?

It should be also noted today there were no Covid-19 cases reported today, the first time since October last year.

Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu said the police made the decision based on the Public Order Ordinance, which gives the commissioner the power to object to gatherings. However he would not say if it was because of the national security law.

Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei said the June 4 vigil was a indicator of the level of freedom of speech in Hong Kong.

"This I believe, constitutes an affront against people's freedom to express their opinion," he said.

The alliance said it would challenge the decision, and urged the appeal board to process their application as soon as possible.

"Commemorating June 4 is the collective memory of the Hong Kong people for the past 31 years and the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movements of China will continue fighting for the rights of the people to mourn for June 4," it said.

Lo says ban is affront to HKer's right to expression

The candlelight vigil, which attracts tens of thousands of people every year until last year, may have been banned due to some of the slogans that were recited during the vigil calling for the end of one-party rule, but the event is also a solemn way to remember the victims, to remember the cause and to fight for democracy back in 1989 to now.

However, with the environment in Hong Kong changing so fast, it's no wonder that the candlelight vigil -- the only one held on Chinese soil after 1997 -- is now banned.

It is now only a collective memory that people must keep in their hearts. 

 

HK's Student Population Plunges as Families Leave

Students marked National Education Day on April 15

  

There is more news that thousands of students have left Hong Kong this past academic year, though the government seems to be in denial about it.

A survey by the Professional Teachers' Union found a quarter of schools have reported more than 20 of their students left the city since September.

Fung (left) says thousands of students have left

PTU finds the figures alarming, and attributes them to parents' concerns about the national security law, as well as changes to the education system, particularly the controversial liberal studies subject.

"The government needs to acknowledge and directly address this issue," said Fung Wai-wah, president of the pro-democracy PTU, one of the city's main teachers' unions.

This month 183 primary and secondary schools were polled and found about 25 percent, or 47 institutions had more than 20 students withdraw during the 2020-21 academic year.

More than 70 percent of the schools reported between one and 20 students leaving. Just three schools reported no students dropping out.

Around 52 percent of the schools, or 96 of those surveyed said about half or more of their students withdrew because they were emigrating or pursuing studies overseas, but the poll did not ask the institutions to give specific reasons why the pupils left Hong Kong.

Parents are concerned about academic freedoms

"We believe some reasons could include the increased challenges as well as political tension and interference faced by the education sector... The security law could be one of the reasons as well," Fung said, adding the government should not "turn a blind eye to the issue" and address it.

According to data released by the Education Department last month found roughly 19,300 students or 3 percent of the total student population dropped out this academic year, compared to 10,400 the previous year.

Of the pupils who left this academic year, 5,280 were from private and international schools, the other 14,000 from local schools.

The implementation of the national security law last June has raised concerns among parents and teachers over shrinking academic freedom, as now children as young as six years old must now learn about the four offenses under the law -- subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

Students 6 years old learn national security law

When Beijing officials says students should have a patriotic education, for many parents, the horror stories of the Cultural Revolution come to mind and they would rather their children be educated elsewhere. 

So what will the Hong Kong government do about the fast plunging numbers of students and teachers? Not everyone is eager to become patriotic...

Lam says Govt Shouldn't Give Cash for Jabs

Vaccines will expire soon if people don't get inoculated

 

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has no clue how to get more residents vaccinated.

It's gotten to the point where millions of vaccine vials will be dumped because they will expire soon and there are not enough willing to get the jab.

Tsang tells people to hurry and get the jab

Thomas Tsang, a former controller of the Centre for Health Protection warned Hongkongers they only had a "three-month window" before the vaccines would be out of date.

"The vaccines all have expiry dates," Tsang said on RTHK Radio. "They cannot be used after the expiry date and the community vaccination centres for BioNTech will, according to present plans, cease operating after September."

He added it was "just not right" that Hong Kong was sitting on an unused pile of doses while the rest of the world "is scrambling for vaccines".

On Twitter many were calling for the rest of the vaccines to be sent to Taiwan and India; a colleague had a brash idea of bringing Indians to Hong Kong to get the jab, but of course that would never happen.

In any event employers were wringing their hands in despair after a report that Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels is offering HK$2,000 for each employee who gets vaccinated, and another HK$2,000 for the 1,700-strong staff if at least 70 percent of them get jabbed.

Was there a sudden uptick in injections?

Lam thinks businesses should give jab incentives

But is it really up the responsibility of businesses to do the job of the government to urge people to get inoculated for the benefit of the entire community?

Apparently the city's leader thinks so.

This morning Lam dismissed the idea of paying cash handouts to residents to get the jab.

"To offer cash or something physical to encourage vaccination shouldn't be done by the government and may even cause the opposite effect," she said.

Lam felt it was better for employers and private organizations to dole out cash or gifts as incentives.

So here we are looking silly with so many vaccines on hand and not enough people willing to roll up their sleeves to do their part, or at least selfishly protect themselves from being serious affected by Covid-19, when people in other countries including Canada, Taiwan and India are desperate for the jab.

At this rate Hong Kong's economy will not improve significantly and more importantly the opportunity to travel is getting further away when people are not getting inoculated.

HSH that owns The Peninsula is giving out cash

It was announced that 40,000 mainlanders who hold two-way permits and 13,000 asylum seekers would be allowed to get the jab later in July. They might as well give them injections now since the vaccination centres have no lines these days...

More Propaganda, National Security in HK

China's control over Hong Kong expands with two departments

 

It was bound to happen eventually. Beijing is now setting up two departments in Hong Kong, one to handle national security, the other propaganda.

The new department for national security affairs will be headed by former liaison office legal affairs director Wang Zhenmin, while Yang Guang will lead the department that will manage media outlets and public opinion in the city.

Yang Guang warned HK protesters in 2019

Some may remember Yang is one of the spokesmen for the Hong Kong Macau Affairs Office, and during 2019 he was the one hosting press conferences on the anti-government protests.

At these press conferences -- the first the HKMAO made since the handover in 1997 -- Yang gave strongly-worded warnings to the protesters against street violence.

The propaganda department will take up part of the work from the office's liaison department and cater to the increasing needs to disseminate official information, host more press conferences, approve and coordinate Hong Kong and Macau journalists on the mainland, and "manage the media scene" in the two administrative regions.

Meanwhile Wang served as legal affairs director at Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong from 2015 to 2018. 

Currently the director of the centre for Hong Kong and Macau Research under Tsinghua University, Wang published a 232-page book in January he co-authored with two mainland academics detailing the rationale and legislative process of the sweeping national security law.

Wang Zhenmin is a national security legal expert

In an article in Sing Tao Daily in February 2020, Wang wrote an article explaining the urgent need to reform the central government's governance regime regarding Hong Kong and Macau.

Veteran China watcher Johnny Lau Yiu-siu says these latest developments are a systemic approach by Beijing to enhance ideological security.

"Beijing firmly regarded Hong Kong's political turmoil as a result of foreign collusion with an aim to overturn the government, so that Beijing planned a series of organizational measures to step up ideological control," he said.

Meanwhile pro-China academic Lau Siu-kai of the semi-official think tank the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies says the departments will step up the fight against anti-China forces. 

"There is a lot to be done to weed out incorrect viewpoints about the central people's government," he said. "The new departments [in the HKMAO] will focus on monitoring public opinion and raising the awareness of Hongkongers' obligation to abide by the law at the societal level," Lau said.

Can China overturn HK people's opinions?

But will the propaganda department make any headway with so many Hongkongers skeptical of anything from across the border? It could make them even more paranoid than before, if reaction to the origins of the pandemic is any indication. 

And with information still relatively free in Hong Kong, including disinformation and misinformation, will the propaganda department be able to cut through all the noise to present its own side of the story in a convincing manner?

It will be interesting to watch its presentation and messaging, though another reminder the motherland is breathing down Hong Kong's back is a sign integration continues whether residents like it or not...

Thai-American Artist on Hong Kong

Rirkrit Tiranvaija's latest work at Art Basel

Art Basel has come and gone in Hong Kong, and it was good to have it finally held after it was cancelled last year because of the pandemic, albeit in a hybrid format with some physical booths showing art work set up at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, while galleries from overseas had online viewing rooms.

Admittedly I did not go to this year's fair, but did go on the website to look at some of the works on show.

One artist whose work I continue to follow is Thai-American artist Rirkrit Tiravanija. A few years ago he did a piece in 2016 titled "Freedom Cannot Be Simulated", the words written in black and red on the Hong Kong English-language newspaper, the South China Morning Post.

Under the blue vinyl is a message on newsprint

He has done this on a few other newspapers around the world. Tiravanija requests a specific back-dated copy of the newspaper and then paints a slogan on it.

Other slogans he has painted include "Same But Not Equal", "Fear Eats The Soul", and "The Days Of This Society is Numbered".

One of his latest works on show by the gallery neugerriemschneider in Berlin. Named "untitled 2018 (this revolution will not be televised, South China Morning Post, July 2, 2014).

It features a blue vinyl cloth, and when the viewer lifts it up, the newspaper is revealed to have the words "This Revolution Will Not Be Televised" in large white letters. 

Based on the July 1, 2014 protest march coverage

What was happening at that time? On June 10, 2014, the State Council in Beijing issued a white paper called "The Practice of the 'One Country, Two Systems' Policy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It claimed "comprehensive jurisdiction" over the city, saying: "The high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR is not full autonomy, nor a centralized power. It is the power to run local affairs as authorized by the central leadership".

This was the first Hongkongers had heard of this, having believed China would not interfere with Hong Kong affairs for 50 years until 2047, but now it looked like Beijing would have more of a say on how the city would be governed.

That led to a massive march on the annual July 1 protest, with organizers claiming over 500,000 people came out to show their discontent. Reports about the protest march, which included some 500 arrests, were covered in the newspaper the following day, and that is the edition Tiravanija has chosen to paint "This Revolution Will Not Be Televised".

Tiravanija's 2016 piece using the SCMP

On September 26, 2014, the streets were occupied in what was later known as the Umbrella Revolution or Umbrella Movement that paralyzed parts of Hong Kong for 79 days.

That later led to Tiravanija making "Freedom Cannot Be Simulated", using pages from the South China Morning Post from September 26-30, 2014.

To have an internationally known artist capture these moments happening in Hong Kong is fascinating, and proves the world is watching... 

Bringing More Decorum to Legco

The Legco rules committee has new rules on clothing

Finally there will be more decorum in the Legislative Council when it comes to attire.

For a long time, some lawmakers, particularly pan-democratic ones, would come into the chambers dressed in jeans and T-shirts, or they had just finished playing tennis or golf.

Offenders like Long Hair may now be kicked out

Legco is a place where laws are debated and passed, so surely politicians should also respect the chamber and wear appropriate attire? In the United States, Canada, Japan, European parliament, United Nations and so on, everyone is dressed well to respect the room they are in.

On Friday, Legco's rules committee officially proposed a new requirement for lawmakers to dress up for council meetings, and those found not up to standard may risk being asked to leave.

That means no sportswear, jeans, or runners.

In addition, they may face the subjective scrutiny of the Legco president, who can decide if someone is dressed decently or not.

This dress code only applies to full council meetings on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and it is assumed lawmakers can wear whatever they want at other times.

Lee Cheuk-yan in a T-shirt, now not acceptable

Another new rule is docking councillors' pay if they miss a meeting without good reason, and proceedings are adjourned due to a lack of quorum.

It is believed the amount would be one day's pay, which is HK$3,400. 

The amount may deter some, but not others who have deep pockets, but again this is for respecting other councillors' efforts, especially when they come in to vote.

 

More on Govt Payroll to Take Oath

More people on government payroll must take the oath

The campaign to get civil servants to take the oath continues, and not only does it apply to those in public office and 170,000 civil servants in all ranks, but also to those on non-civil service contracts, 

It was announced on Friday that 22,000 full time and part time staff hired for jobs such as cleaners on contract, plumbers, engineers, doctors, clerks, teachers in public schools, and even lifeguards at public swimming pools must pledge their allegiance to uphold the Basic Law. 

Leung worries people won't take govt jobs

They will have three weeks to decide to sign the declaration to take the oath of allegiance; if not, they face losing their jobs.

Oath taking was introduced following the implementation of the national security law late last June. Article 6 states that any resident "who stands for election or assumes public office" must swear to uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the city.

Leung Chau-ting, chairman of the Federation of Civil Service Unions, said non-civil service staff usually fill temporary or urgent positions.

"Most of them were hired on contracts which were renewed every year, and... the government has been hiring many people under non-civil service terms during the pandemic," he said.

Leung worried that the declaration requirement would deter some people from taking up or staying in these positions.

"Many of them are just front line staff joining the government on a short-term basis to share the civil servants' workload... They could be worried that after they signed the declaration, there would be things they cannot say or do."

Lifeguards at public pools must take oath now

While some might think the oath is just another requirement in exchange for a stable job and high salary, signing the declaration  can be used against them if they are not careful. 

Does a life guard taking the oath make them better at watching swimmers in the pool? A contract cleaner will be more patriotic in picking up garbage off the streets?

The mainlandization of Hong Kong continues.

 

 

 

Another Reason to get the Jab

Some 46 percent of recovered patients have low lung capacity

 

The topic dominating conversations these days is why people will not get vaccinated in Hong Kong.

How about this reason -- to avoid the long-term health effects after being infected with Covid-19.

A recent study in Hong Kong found almost half of recovered patients still suffer abnormal lung functions, such as shortness of breath, three months after being discharged.

As of April, about 46 percent of the 167 recovered patients at Princess Margaret Hospital in Lai Chi Kok had abnormal levels of oxygen going from their lungs to their bloodstream, three months after medical treatment.

Dr Tsang says exercise can help improve lungs

And nine months after treatment, lung function remained poor for 16.7 percent of the patients.

Dr Owen Tsang Tak-yin, medical director of the Hospital Authority's Infectious Disease Centre, said most of the abnormalities were experienced by elderly and chronically ill patients.

"They may experience shortness of breath while climbing stairs or running after a bus," he said, adding that regular exercise and a balanced diet could help patients improve their lung function over time.

Tsang said 16 percent of the more than 1,300 discharged patients had to undergo pulmonary function tests to show how well the lungs are working.

So far, more than 11,500 people, or 97.6 percent of Hong Kong's Covid-19 patients have been discharged.

The psychological impact of the virus has also left recovered patients stressed and depressed.

In a screening from between February 2020 and April 2021, 190 recovered patients responded, mostly women with the average age of 40.8 years.

Vaccines can prevent serious Covid symptoms

Some reported being worried for burdening others with having to go into government quarantine camps, some felt discriminated by neighbours or people around them, while others were terrified of being infected again and tried to avoid "dirty" places like washrooms. 

More than one-third felt Covid-19 was a threat to their lives, 19 percent suffered depressive symptoms, and 12.1 percent experienced severe anxiety.

The public needs to understand and sympathize with these patients after their traumatic experience, some of them were infected out of no fault of their own.

Not returning to regular lung capacity must be frightening too -- not being able to breathe properly months afterwards, and for how much longer?

And being psychologically scarred by the experience -- are these people getting the counselling they need to try to move on?

Getting infected by the virus is not to be taken lightly, which is why vaccination is so important. While the number of cases is very low in Hong Kong, one can still get infected by an asymptomatic person. Being vaccinated will make one's Covid-19 symptoms milder and easier to recover.

Isn't that the best reason for getting the jab?

But some 80 percent of Hong Kong's population doesn't seem to think so...

Get Vaccinated with Chance at Lucky Draw

Vials of Pfizer BioNTech vaccines ready to go... but no takers

 

Some pro-Beijing political parties are urging the government to entice more people to get the jab by offering more days off, vouchers and a chance of winning the lottery every week.

Dominic Lee Tsz-king of the New People's Party said people didn't want to get vaccinated because the Covid-19 situation in Hong Kong is relatively stable, and there are concerns about side effects.

Lee suggests a lottery to increase vaccinations

He suggested offering four days' paid holiday to workers if they get the jab.

"Right now if you have work, you work late then you probably can't make the deadline for taking the vaccination during weekdays... By providing holidays for them, I think it's going to encourage a lot of people to take the vaccines," he said.

New People's Party and Civil Force are suggesting the government could give people HK$2,000 in gift vouchers if they get vaccinated, and hold a pandemic lottery.

"We are also proposing a weekly lucky draw... once a week with a jackpot of HK$5 million. It should continue for a period of two months," said Lee.

While a hefty wad of cash may move a few people bare their arms for shots, Lee doesn't understand the fundamental problem is people's complete mistrust of the government at least since the protests in 2019, then followed by the national security law last June.

Only about 18 percent of HKers have got the jab

It also doesn't help the Department of Health issues notices of people who have died days or weeks following their jab even though their deaths are completely unrelated to the vaccine, giving the public the impression the jabs are ticking time bombs.

What else can be done to entice people to get jabs? Hard to say, but when the government already lost the trust of the people a few years ago, trying to earn it now is a little too late...

National Security Officer Cleared of Illegal Conduct

Wong says Choi cleared of illegal and immoral conduct

 

This evening the Hong Kong police have cleared the No. 2 national security officer of an illegal or immoral conduct when it was reported last Wednesday Frederic Choi Chin-pang was caught in a raid at an unlicensed massage parlour.

While it was revealed the actual incident took place in late March and only came to light over a month later, Chief Superintendent Ryan Wong Fai refused to divulge why Choi was in the massage parlour in the first place, what he was doing there, and how many times he had visited the illegal establishment.

Choi was caught in unlicensed massage parlour

"At the time Choi was found, at this moment, we have no evidence to suggest he was doing any illegal acts or committing any immoral acts," Wong said.

He added six women were arrested for alleged prostitution during the raid.  

Wong pointed out it was not unlawful to patronize an unlicensed parlour, but the force had investigated Choi out of concern about his integrity as a police officer.

Then why not disclose more details about why Choi was there and what he was doing? Apparently he suffered from back pain for some time, but again, why was he there? Surely a registered chiropractor could sort that out?

Lo mocks Choi's massage hobby

Lo Kin-hei, chairman of the opposition Democratic Party, expressed doubts about the impartiality of the police investigation and called for an independent review, especially as the force confirmed the incident only after the media reported it last week.

"Now what they mean is Choi is a gentleman, and amusingly he didn't choose to go anywhere else but a parlour that provided immoral services to enjoy a decent massage service. This is quite a special hobby," Lo said.

Andrew Shum Wai-nam, of the group Civil Rights Observer, said police should provide further details to explain why such a senior officer visited a place offering sex services.

Shum says police should provide more details

Meanwhile, Lau Siu-kai, vice-chairman of the semi-official Beijing think tank the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said the police report might not be detailed enough to win the trust of the public or mainland authorities.

In that case the police may have to really come clean on Choi or they may not have the blessing of Beijing much longer...