National Security Job Creation

The second National Security Education Day was last week

Did you learn anything from last week's National Security Education Day on April 15?

Aside from stickers on the backs of bus seats advertising it as well as giant billboards across Hong Kong, there wasn't specifically anything new to learn unless you went onto the website to take a look.

Two former law enforcement chiefs don't think people know enough about national education and are proposing a position in the upcoming administration to promote it further.

People were encouraged to go on the website

Former security chief Lai Tung-kwok is calling for a new post of "national security education commissioner", as the public don't know enough about the issue, and that the annual National Security Education Day is far from sufficient.

During a radio program on RTHK, he said the city needs to work harder to educate people about national security, as it encompasses everything from finance to food.

So how does national security affect food, unless he is referring to ecological security, which is about ecological damage and environmental pollution?

Lai, who is also a New People's Party legislator, said if people had a better understanding of national security, it would be easier to get them to make sacrifices to ensure it is upheld.

Tang (left) and Lai want a NSL commissioner 

With rights and freedoms further eroding because of national security, not many would agree to make sacrifices -- they have no choice really and have to accept that almost everything is for national security reasons.

Meanwhile, former police commissioner Tang King-shing said the public have misunderstood what national security is all about, adding that an ageing population and gender equality issues could also undermine safety and stability.

These two enjoy stirring more fear into the pot with reasons that have zero logic.

How does having an increasingly elderly population and the fight for gender equality undermine safety and stability?

Lai and Tang both seem keen on being this "national security commissioner", if the new Chief Executive decides to create the post.

How do these elderly impact national security?

There is talk that sole candidate John Lee Ka-chiu is looking to expand his administration, and perhaps one of them will be national security education, considering security seems to be a top priority.

A quick scan of the National Security Education website does not mention the elderly or gender equality issues either, so maybe Lai and Tang should study the website first before making these ominous proclamations that are hardly credible?

Covid-19 Cause Spike in Elderly Suicides

Increased number of seniors contemplating suicide in fifth wave

Now into its third year, coronavirus pandemic has claimed more victims than just those who are infected with the virus -- elderly people who are have committed suicide or are contemplating it.

On Tuesday researchers at the University of Hong Kong said their suicide warning index recently surged to an unprecedented "crisis level", with elderly people more at risk of taking their own lives during this fifth wave of the pandemic.

The Suicide Early Warning System had a daily estimate of suicides at 1.69 on February 23, and as the number of Covid-19 infections rose to the tens of thousands, the estimate hit 4.05 on March 21. The average figure over the past year was 1.8.

Yip says elderly suicides is at "crisis level"

The March 21 figure is the highest since the warning system was created in 2020, though the daily estimate has since dropped.

Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai from HKU's Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention said social distancing measures have affected people's mental health and elderly people are particularly vulnerable.

He said eight people aged 65 and older committed suicide in the past seven days and it's estimated that 400 seniors will take their lives this year -- double the number last year.

"Social distancing [measures] have introduced not only physical distancing but also emotional disconnectedness. I think it's this emotional disconnectedness that leads to the sense of isolation, a sense of being abandoned by family members or by community. It has an adverse impact on our mental health," he told an online press conference.

"For the elderly people, if they live by themselves, I think the community can proactively engage with them," Yip added.

The group Suicide Prevention Services reported handling 220,000 calls in January and February, an average of nine a day from seniors.

Suicide Prevention Services worries about elderly

It said elderly people are worried about getting infected with Covid-19 and so they are scared of meeting relatives during the pandemic. Their sense of crisis also becomes even more heightened if they or a family member contracted the virus, which could then trigger suicide, the group warned.

There were news reports over a week ago about an elderly couple who killed themselves after finding out they tested positive for Covid-19 and didn't want to be a burden on their family.

Justin Leung, a program manager with the service, added most elderly people are not tech savvy either, making it difficult for them to find out the latest information about the pandemic.

"It's very complicated for the elderly. It's difficult for them to learn in a short period of time," he said. 

Yip called on the government to relax social-distancing measures and reopen leisure facilities as soon as possible to help people improve their mental well-being.

He also said the media should do its part by reporting on more positive stories to help reduce people's anxiety.

Many elderly are terrified to meet relatives

Everyone's anxiety levels have spiked during the pandemic, and even more so during this current fifth wave when the number of cases was over the 50,000 mark.

Thankfully they have dropped in the past week and hopefully in the next few weeks will be below 1,000.

It doesn't help when the government is more focused on fighting the virus than being concerned about its residents' well-being.

Hopefully the authorities will heed this study's warnings. While the 2003 SARS epidemic was relatively short lasting only a few months, it was a terrifying time for Hongkongers. Now 19 years later, people need to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel to hang on and survive, mentally and physically.

Covid-19 Numbers Drop to below 10K

Albert Au of CHP (left) reports under 9,000 cases today

This afternoon was a sign of good news -- in the first time since February 24, the number of coronavirus infections in Hong Kong dropped to below 10,000 to 8,841, of which 3,978 were from PCR tests, 4,957 from RATs. Six cases were imported. 

The Centre of Health Protection's Albert Au Ka-wing said that while the number of infections has definitely peaked, he urged people not to let their guard down. Also the number of deaths is still relatively high at 139, of which 114 are from the past 24 hours, 25 backlogged.

One of the deaths was a three-year-old girl, but she had pre-existing long-term health issues including severe brain lesions and was diagnosed with pneumonia. The Department of Health will investigate her death. The oldest person who died was 106 years old.

A quarantine room at the LMO from HK$10K

Meanwhile the lifting of the flight ban on nine countries from April 1 has led to non-stop inquiries from people overseas needing rooms in quarantine hotels for a week. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental has had a flood of people trying to book rooms, and with room rates from HK$10,010 (US$1,278) for a 83 sq metre room per night, it's yet another bumper year for the hotel in Central.

Then there are other hotels in the city that have converted into community isolation facilities to prepare for the possibility of universal testing. While this is good money -- HK$1,600 per room per night paid for by the government, some hotels are loathe to kick out long-staying guests.

One hotel in Sheung Wan has had people staying there for over three years. That's because they are elderly and have no family in Hong Kong to look after them and rely on the hotel's staff to check up on them.

It's quite sad to hear that they are living in these small hotel rooms, but this is the best way they can ensure there is someone looking out for them -- to help them get to the hospital for regular health check-ups, and for disabled guests who need physical assistance on a daily basis.

Rooms at Novotel Century are now for isolation

Luckily some hotels are taking pity on these people, while others have evicted some long-staying guests, leaving them with little choice but to find alternative housing. The Novotel Century Hong Kong in Wan Chai has turned into a community isolation facility, and one of its long-staying guests luckily managed to find accommodation at a serviced apartment nearby at very short notice. 

While this pandemic has turned people's lives upside down, we've all had to deal with the challenges the best we can. And finding compassion can be a godsend for many who need it.

Get Jabbed or Risk Serious Covid Infection, Says Expert

Yuen warns everyone needs to get vaccinated against Covid-19

Infectious disease expert Dr Yuen Kwok-yung believes some 2.5 million people have been infected with Covid-19 since the fifth wave began in late December and projects the caseload will drop to under 1,000 a day in the coming weeks.

The government advisor on the pandemic warned "eradication of the coronavirus will not happen," and urged those who still hadn't gotten jabbed to do so. 

Yuen even went so far as to suggest elderly people should get the German-made BioNTech vaccine rather than the Chinese-made Sinovac one, as the former is more effective at neutralising the Omicron variant, though he agreed everyone should have the freedom to choose which jab to take.

Most vulnerable are elderly not yet jabbed

Finally a medical expert has come out to recommend one over the other, even though the government says both are effective...

He also said the city needs a 95 percent vaccination rate in order to prepare for the next wave of infections.

"The eradication of the coronavirus will not happen. The virus will be with us, and there may be another mutant in the future," Yuen said, noting the city's so-called vaccine pass should also be expanded to cover public transport.

Now it is used to get into shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and hair salons.

While Yuen even called for the easing of restrictions in restaurants and having places like gyms reopened, and flights to Hong Kong resumed, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor would not entertain these suggestions, hinting the city needs to reach "dynamic zero-Covid"...

Who knows? Maybe she will change her mind tomorrow on Monday when she will release the outcome of the "interim review" of social-distancing measures and border control measures.

Yuen suggests vaccine passport for public transit

Today the number of cases dropped further to 14,145, though the death toll is still high at 205, and another 41 backlogged. Hong Kong now has a total of 5,896 deaths since the start of the pandemic, the vast majority of them in the fifth wave.

The authorities cannot vaccinate the elderly fast enough, and on top of it Lam refuses to mandate all seniors must be jabbed... 

And with that kind of decision, it's going to take a while for the fifth wave to be under control...

Hong Kong's Covid Death Toll Still Surges

Elderly patients have been outside overcrowded hospitals

Hong Kong logged a record 249 deaths in the past 24 hours, much higher than the start of the fifth wave.

When Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was asked to comment, she insisted her government had "put in all the necessary effort in order to keep Hong Kong people safe".

"We have spent over one year to promote, to encourage, to coerce people to take the jab, but unfortunately, partly because of the low infection rate in the last year or so, and partly because of anxiety and worries and so on, we have not achieved a high rate of vaccination, especially amongst the elderly, particularly amongst elderly in elderly homes," she said.

Lam says govt has done its best for vaccinations

"There are a lot of things in our city that should be revisited and we should take a critical look in order to prepare us for a future public health crisis."

Sounds like someone is on the defensive.

But these deaths are on her watch. Not enough was done to get the elderly vaccinated and a lot of it had to do with misinformation and ineffective communication to the public about the benefits of getting vaccinated. The cash handouts were not used as an incentive to get vaccinated either which was infuriating to say the least.

Meanwhile Dr Lau Ka-hin, a chief manager of the Health Authority was also on the defensive, saying officials were not focused on death records, that the goal was to prevent patients with only mild symptoms from worsening and serious cases turning into fatalities.

"This is our aim in treating our patients," he said.

More seniors need to get jabbed quickly

Sing Tao reported this morning the possibility of further restricting social-distancing measures to only one per table instead of two.

Lam denied this was in the cards, but then again she has been known to flip flop. Her response: "I have to consider what society and the public can accept and won't rashly introduce new measures," she said. "But I again appeal to the public not to let their guard down. Even though the case numbers seem to have stabilised and there is a slight downward trend, it is not time to relax yet."

Indeed... but we hope there is a greater effort being made to inoculate the elderly as quickly as possible. We don't want to see another morbid record tomorrow...

Covid Deaths Overwhelm System

This shocking photo of body bags was released on social media

This horrific photograph went viral on Twitter today. It was taken about a week ago at the Accident and Emergency Ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan, where there are six dead bodies in body bags lying in wards where there are three elderly patients.

The image was confirmed by a medic who works in the hospital. Since that picture was taken, the situation has been alleviated with more refrigerator units and mortuaries made available.

When the media asked about the photo this afternoon, the Health Authority's Sara Ho Yuen-ha confirmed it and apologised for the stress it had caused patients.

Ho apologised for the distress to the patients

"The authority is facing an unprecedented challenge... we are very sorry about bringing distress to patients. Our colleagues are also very unhappy about the situation. We hope everyone understands," she said.

Nevertheless it clearly illustrates how overwhelmed the Hong Kong healthcare system is and there is no end in sight with over 15000 people dying from Covid-19 per day, the majority of them elderly.

Another bottleneck has emerged in processing all the paperwork for each deceased person, while funeral homes are booked up until at least mid-April.

Kwok Hoi-bong, chairman of the Funeral Business Association industry group, said the government had to do more to resolve bottlenecks.

"Even though the government has increased the capacity of cremation incinerators to between 260 to 280 corpses a day, it has not given thought to other areas," he told a radio program.

He pointed out there are only 121 funeral halls in the city, but the average death toll was 200 dead per day.

Kwok says deaths are taking longer to process

Kwok said the authority should allow simple ceremonies to be performed in service halls in the hospital to allow families to bid their final farewells before taking the corpses to the crematorium or cemetery. 

While this will alleviate the logistics, there are families who insist in a proper send-off to loved ones. 

He also said death certificates used to take three to four days to be processed and now took six to eight, meaning corpses not being removed in a more timely manner.

Today Hong Kong recorded 29,377 local cases, 18,884 from PCR tests, 10,493 from RAT. There were 294 deaths logged, 196 from the past 24 hours, 98 backlogged. The age rage was 35-105, of the 196 dead, 114 were unvaccinated, 97 from residential care homes.

Currently only 54 percent of Hong Kong residents 80 years and older have had at least one jab. The government has pledged to focus on inoculating elderly people with mobility issues who live on their own. This alarm was sounded months ago by health experts, but the advice was not heeded... 

Mass Testing Could be Pushed Back to April

Universal testing may be further pushed back to April

The Hong Kong government continues to flip flop on major decisions on a whim that have left residents frustrated, tired and wondering how senior officials even make these decisions.

There is now word that because Beijing has told local authorities to focus more on reducing the death rate and look after the elderly that the citywide universal testing may now be pushed back to April.

Lam had announced mass testing in March

Originally Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had announced on February 22 -- by the way the last time she spoke publicly to Hongkongers -- that universal testing would be held in March. It was later heard through the grapevine that it would start on March 26, but now it could be as late as April.

After all that panic-buying of vegetables, meat, toilet paper and so on, how does this make people feel?

In addition, what about the schools and students missing out on education right now? If mass testing is pushed back to April, when will their classes resume? There are students who need to take the university entrance exams on April 22. Children and young people really are getting the worst deal out of the pandemic that is now well into its third year.

Lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee remarked on Twitter:

"I welcome the government's decision to re-open hair salons as from this Thursday. I urge the government to re-open also golf courses, tennis courts, and other facilities for non-contact sports. We need to help caddies and coaches, not just hair stylists, get their jobs back!"

Ip wants golf courses and tennis courts re-opened

What about students and the future of Hong Kong? Or someone is just really keen on getting back to her golf game?

This evening word also came down that people can get their hair cut from March 10! Hallelujah!

No more having your hairdresser surreptitiously come to your flat and trim your locks -- we can go back to the salons -- as long as you've had at least one jab. I hope my hairdresser has been inoculated...

And what does this mean about our HK$10,000 handout? Will that be delayed too? There are so many unknowns.

In the meantime, today there were 30,493 cases logged, 2,018 of which were from rapid antigen tests (RAT). 

While some 200,000 logged onto the new website to record positive results from RATs, 17,236 were actually reported, and of them, 2,018 completed all the information and uploaded pictures and HKID card information for the government to issue them isolation orders.

Au explaining over 2,000 RAT cases confirmed

Meanwhile 291 deaths were announced, 160 from the past 24 hours, and 131 backlogged. The age range is staggering -- four years old to 105, 116 of them unvaccinated, 86 from elderly care homes.

Now the government is planning to move the uninfected seniors in care homes to isolation units, but who will care for them all the way out there? There are horror stories that there are not enough staff to help them to washrooms and they are stuck wearing diapers. 

The authorities really need to consult geriatric specialists about how to look after these relatively healthy people and keep them safe, but also not completely isolated either which could also lead to deterioration of body and spirit. 

Hong Kong cannot afford to lose more lives over egregious mistakes and flip flopping. Time to make informed decisions for the good of all. All 7.4 million lives depend on them.

Security Bureau Involved in Covid-19 Battle

Seniors in care homes are the most vulnerable to Covid-19

Today is the second day the number of cases dropped to 30,000 -- 31,008 to be exact -- though the number of dead continues to be a shocking refrain. There were 233 deaths reported, 153 of them in the past 24 hours and of them 114 were not vaccinated. 

More seniors are finally getting vaccinated but it's the ones in elderly care homes that are the most vulnerable and need to be jabbed as soon as possible. It is in these old folks homes that the virus has spread so quickly and these patients' immune systems cannot cope.

Au (left) says Security Bureau now involved

Hong Kong now has the highest death rate from Covid-19 in the developed world with 2,007 dead since the start of the pandemic, 1,794 from the fifth wave alone.

Aside from being horrified by the number of dead each day, the Hong Kong government has now made it even more punitive for residents to be infected with Covid-19.

The authorities have setup a hotline for people to call in, Whatsapp or WeChat to report that they have tested positive and need to be moved to isolation facilities because they have mild or no symptoms, or are unable to do so at home.

However, this project is being handled by the Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung, who was the police chief during the 2019 protests.

Tang inspects Tsing Yi isolation units today

Perhaps even more frightening is that the Security Bureau is now involved in the operation and it is this department that will determine who goes into the isolation facilities. Retroactive cases will not be sent, but starting with those reported in the last three days, according to Dr Albert Au Ka-wing of the Centre for Health Protection.

So medical experts won't be deciding who gets to isolate at home and who doesn't?

It's getting more frightening as the days go on and still no word on how universal testing will be conducted and if there is some kind of a lockdown or not.

The last thing we need is more fear and stress, but perhaps that's exactly what the authorities intend to instil in us, that Covid-19 is a dreadful, deadly virus which is why we must reach "dynamic zero-Covid"!

Hong Kong Now World's Worst in Covid Deaths

Patients are back outside hospitals, no space and warmer temps

Hong Kong was one of the best places in keeping Covid-19 at bay for two years, and now it is the worst.

Today the city logged another record 56,827 positive cases, and a shocking 144 deaths in the past 24 hours, ranging in age from 42 to 102 years old. While 56 of them lived in elderly care homes, 124 of them were not vaccinated.

The rising line is the number of HK deaths

Up until the beginning of February this year, Hong Kong had hardly any deaths and now it is at 17.3 deaths per 1 million people. 

When comparing Hong Kong to New York City via @kjoules:

Most cases in a day per 1 million people

NY 6,621 (January 3, 2022)

HK 7,676 (Today)

Most deaths in a day per 1 million people

NY 67.9 (Before vaccines April 7, 2020)

NY 15.0 (After vaccines January 11, 2022)

HK 25.1 (Today)

Meanwhile the government and advisers are still deciding about implementing universal testing. Today Dr Yuen Kwok-yuen admitted that the window for inoculating the elderly has passed and that conducting universal testing will only find too many cases and not enough places to isolate them all.

Other experts questioning the need to do testing in March also include Ben Cowling, Gabriel Leung, Leung Chi-chiu, and Ho Pak-leung. 

There is still no consensus or final announcement on how universal testing, which is supposed to start on March 26 will be done. The government says there will be 500 testing centres so that people will not have to wait too long, and these testing centres will be located in schools (that are not used because students have been forced into an early "summer vacation".

Yuen admits HK should have vaccinated elderly

Currently there are only 19 testing areas in the city, and another 43 mobile ones operated by contractors. Are there even enough staff to conduct tests at all 500 sites?

Apparently when people go for the three tests -- in family groups -- they will receive KN95 masks and rapid testing kits to screen between tests. All our nostrils will be extra sensitive after this is all over with. 

It was also reported that some 1,000 prisoners have caught Covid, including democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho Chun-yan. They tested positive after using the rapid antigen tests but currently show no symptoms. 

As a result of the positive cases, lawyers will not be able to visit their clients in the next two weeks, while loved ones and families of the detained cannot see them for another one and a half months.

Isolation units with bars on the windows...

And then there are the isolation units being built... apparently it is four to a room -- how is that even social distancing? Squat toilets (and now some Western ones we have been told) -- and mainland Chinese electricity sockets. No one alerted the mainland contractors that Hong Kong uses the British sockets.

So if you do end up in one of these isolation trailers with three other strangers, at least bring a multi-plug adapter with you...

Beijing Takes Over Anti-Epidemic Work in HK

Does Lam regret how she has handled the pandemic now?

Things don't look good when you have over 4,200 infections reported today, over 7,000 preliminary, but more importantly, when Party Secretary General Xi Jinping is personally concerned and tells Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor she has to work harder to contain the virus and maintain social stability.

Word came down that Xi asked Vice-Premier Han Zheng, the top state leader overseeing the city's affairs, to relay to Lam the president's "concern about the pandemic situation in the city and his care for Hong Kong residents".

Xi has personally voiced concerns over HK

Beijing will now have more oversight over anti-epidemic measures, creating another layer of bureaucracy, basically another layer of bosses to placate. The group will be made up of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, as well as the National Health Commission, and will involve Beijing authorities and experts, as well as the Guangdong and local governments.

Xi stressed that Hong Kong "must earnestly take the main responsibility, and to make it the overriding priority to stabilise and control the epidemic as soon as possible".

"Authorities must mobilise all forces and resources that can be mobilised, take all necessary measures and protect Hong Kong people's lives and health, as well as ensure Hong Kong's social stability," Xi was quoted as saying.

"The relevant central and local authorities must fully support and assist the Hong Kong government in doing its anti-epidemic work well."

Lam responded with "heartfelt gratitude" to Xi, and admitted the local healthcare system was overloaded. 

A record 4,285 cases, 7,000 preliminary

Han told Lam that she should implement Xi's instructions, which include boosting testing capacity, procuring rapid test kits, and other medical equipment, supporting the construction of isolation and medical facilities, ensuring the supply of necessities, such as fresh food, and sending coronavirus experts to Hong Kong to help.

We already have a lot of very good infectious disease experts... they just can't agree with each other, while Lam does not rein them in or at least make sure they are all on the same page.

Nevertheless, many of them have already suggested a citywide lockdown to clamp down on the virus mainland-style, and yet Lam refuses to do this.

But with Beijing now getting involved, it may get to this point.

Does Lam now see that her chances of running for chief executive again are becoming slimmer and slimmer by the hour?

There were 4,285 infections today, and sadly nine deaths, including the three-year-old girl who passed yesterday. 

These elderly patients outside must be freezing

This evening after dinner I walked along the harbourfront and it was quite windy. As long as I kept moving I was warm, but what about those elderly patients lying on gurneys outside hospitals waiting to get in? They must be freezing to death. Won't be surprised if there are cases of pneumonia tomorrow.

Meanwhile this afternoon one infectious disease expert, Professor Ben Cowling of the University of Hong Kong was interviewed by the Asia Society. 

A few points he made include: He projects the fifth wave will peak in about three weeks from now, when over half of the population will be infected with the virus. This will unfortunately mean seeing more fatalities, and so Cowling urged people, including children who haven't gotten vaccinated to do so.

In the first wave children did not seem to be affected by Covid-19, but they are now getting sick with Omicron, and so he highly urges them to get the jab. Cowling again pushed for seniors to get vaccinated, precious time was lost last year when elderly people did not get vaccinated, and hinted the government did not do enough to push up the inoculation rates in this age group. 

He does not see the point in having a vaccine mandate now because the rising numbers of cases may have prodded people to get jabbed now.

Cowling says fifth wave may peak in three weeks

Another suggestion Cowling made was for rapid antigen tests be made widely available. He is currently stuck in the UK and everyone can get lots of these RAT tests delivered to their homes. People can take these tests and if they are positive to isolate immediately or for everyone else in the household to get tested to prevent further spread in the community. 

Children in the UK take these tests every morning before going to school so that they can attend classes; Cowling says there is a risk they could become positive later in the day, but for the most part it allows education to continue and believes this is a good thing.

This evening there are reports that all Hong Kong residents will be tested maybe in early March three times. How this will be implemented has yet to be revealed, or revealed at all. It could be sprung on us one day.

Regardless it shows the local government has been completely swept aside, unclear of what needs to be done, let alone execute properly. This is what happens when there is no effective opposition, no grassroots activists, and media to point out what should be done. 

Lam and her administration have wasted lots of time, wasted lots of money -- the December 19 free rides day for starters -- and not listened to experts and figured out how to protect Hongkongers in the best way possible.

For the rest of us, it is only a matter of time before we get infected one way or another. This government has failed us. We are on our own.

Covid-19 Cases Soaring to New Heights in HK

Long lines to get tested for Covid-19 and labs are overwhelmed

Another day, another record number of Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong, today 2,071, and there are already 4,500 preliminary positive cases.

Health authorities reiterated again how the city's hospitals were at 90 percent, and they wanted to keep the remainder to disinfect for the next patients, and for non-Covid-19 patients in serious condition.

2,071 cases today, possibly 4,500 tomorrow

Testing capacity is completely overwhelmed, though a large-scale temporary laboratory set up in the Ma On Shan sports centre run by Chinese-owned Sunrise Diagnostics will start helping out from tomorrow so that the city can conduct up to 300,000 tests per day.

There were more outbreaks in care homes for the elderly and disabled in Sham Shui Po, Tuen Mun, Prince Edward, Tokwawan, and Sha Tin.

Two more elderly people died from the virus.

And yet another 40 medical staff have contracted Covid-19, making it a total so far of 280 doctors, nurses, patient care assistants and administrative workers.

So where does this leave us?

Many infections found in elderly care homes

Students will not be going back to the classroom until at least March 6, while children as young as three are highly suggested to get vaccinated -- with Sinovac.

The Hospital Authority is finally -- finally! setting up a hotline for people who have tested positive for the virus who are still waiting to be admitted to healthcare facilities, and that designated clinics would be setup for them. This is apparently supposed to happen very soon...

There are estimates of some 10,000 people waiting to go into hospital, while 3,600 are currently in hospitals. And then there are over 4,700 who are close contacts who are in quarantine. 

We are currently in a big mess, and yet there is no definitive plan or strategy to get Hong Kong out of it.

We wait word from Lam tomorrow on the crisis

Or maybe we're supposed to wait until tomorrow for the weekly media briefing by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet Ngor? Time is of the essence, but maybe she'd rather make us wait.

HK Govt Still Running Behind Omicron

Many elderly mistrust the govt, feel left behind in pandemic

It is very interesting to read some comments from Hong Kong seniors about why they refuse to get vaccinated.

After reading them, I don't blame them.

Sit Pui-yu, 72, knows that without getting the jab, he won't be able to eat in a restaurant, or shop for food, and blames the authorities for it.

There aren't many people who can help seniors

"The government has never truly taken consideration of the elderly in every single measure and policy it has carried out since the start of the pandemic, said the single elderly man who lives by himself in a public housing flat in Wong Tai Sin.

Another case in point -- being forced to use a smartphone that was donated to him and having to learn how to use it for the LeaveHomeSafe app for contact-tracing purposes. If you are unvaccinated then you are barred from entering many venues from February 24.

"I have lost trust in the government, so I have no confidence in its vaccination program," he said.

What is tragic is that he has no one to complain to anymore about it -- almost all the district councillors and opposition lawmakers and activists have resigned, fled the city, or jailed, so there is no communication channel between the grassroots and the government.

And then there are family doctors who are too scared to recommend that their elderly patients get vaccinated in case they suffer side effects, which doesn't help the situation at all, as well as adult children who are terrified something will happen to their parents if they get a jab.

Lee (right) says resources are stretched to limit

Today the number of cases recorded was 1,347, with only two imported. 

Another child, a three-year-old girl who tested preliminary positive is in critical condition but health officials did not have more information to disclose to the media. When reporters asked how many children were seriously ill in hospital, again there was no answer to the question. These children are too young to be vaccinated at the moment. 

Dr Larry Lee Lap-yip, a chief manager at the Hospital Authority said the healthcare system was strained to the limit.

"The number of confirmed and preliminary-positive Covid-19 cases has seriously exceeded the capacity that we can tolerate at hospitals," he said. "Our current isolation facilities are also full."

He said isolation beds would be prioritised to children, the elderly, and patients in serious condition. 

"If the situation worsens, we will not rule out suspending services in some public hospitals to turn them into Covid-specific treatment facilities," Lee said. "Facing the current crisis, we hope everyone will work together for the public good and save critical hospital resources for patients who need it the most."

Shouldn't that have been the case all along?

Chan says HK needs to run as fast as Omicron

Up until now, if anybody tested positive and was asymptomatic, was immediately sent to hospital. Now the health authorities realise this is not completely necessary and more importantly they are running out of beds and resources, as a number of nurses and doctors have also contracted Covid-19.

It is seriously shocking how behind the ball this government is in dealing with this wave, when the authorities claimed they were preparing for the possibility of the fifth wave.

In an interview with China Daily that was published five days ago, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the government was preparing for the fifth wave "because from overseas experience, we know Omicron, this mutant strain, has a very high transmissibility. So we know it will come. Now we are in a very severe situation, and we are really trying our best to fight the virus, through timely measures. So, time is of the essence, because we have to be running as fast as the Omicron."

How about running faster than Omicron? That might be a start...

 

HK Records over 1,100 Covid-19 Cases

Men desperate to get a last haircut in before barbers shut

This morning it was shocking to find out via Bloomberg that Hong Kong had more than 1,100 cases today.

It was almost double yesterday. As the infectious disease experts had predicted, the infection numbers have shot up in a short period of time.

The goal of reaching "zero Covid" seems like a mirage in the distance.

Vegetables have disappeared from shelves

Today men and women, but mostly men rushed to hair salons and barbers to get their last proper hair cut before they shut at midnight. Many do not think hair salons or religious venues will re-open on February 24.

Meanwhile some report zero access to fresh vegetables in their supermarkets with pictures of empty shelves. Some sarcastically noted only coriander was left behind, while another said it was turnips where they were. Frozen vegetables are also a hot commodity.

There was a picture of a woman stocking up on toilet paper again... are we seriously repeating 2020?

Then there are long, long lines of people waiting to get tested in various areas around town. Some 20,000 people need to get tested in Discovery Bay after sewage tests showed up positive for Covid-19. Anyone who spent two hours or more there between January 26 and February 8 must get tested. 

People worried being in line would result in them being infected and felt the sewage tests were not helpful.

Despite high case numbers, Lam is still maskless

Many residents are incensed that Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor continues to speak at press conferences without a mask when her own health experts have advised everyone to wear a mask except when eating and drinking.

Some are beginning to think Lam is exacting revenge on Hongkongers by flouting the rules because... she's the chief executive. 

If that is the case, is she really committed to getting the city back to "zero Covid"? Or is she happy to have Hong Kong in a mess, stressing people out about having to comply to the latest restrictions on top of avoiding getting infected? 

By the way don't even think about meeting more than one person on the street at the same time -- you could be fined HK$5,000 on the spot and the police are out in force and gleefully handing out tickets.

One person sarcastically suggested on social media this was perhaps the government's way of paying for the HK$26 billion for the anti-epidemic fund.

Then there appears to be some power plays by the Executive Council... Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee claims Exco announced the latest social-distancing measures yesterday before Lam could...  Maybe that explains why she deferred to the 4.30pm press conference for further details...

Two families being fined by police today

The one good thing that happened today was that more elderly people got their first jabs.

About 1.19 percent of seniors aged 70-79 got inoculated, the highest percentage for any age group in a single day since the start of the vaccination program.

Also just over 1 percent of people 80 years and over got jabbed too.

In the meantime it looks like Valentine's Day is cancelled for restaurants. With the number of cases doubling every two days or so, the chances of someone wanting to eat out are very slim now. No one wants to get infected or dragged into Penny's Bay for quarantine.

What has Hong Kong turned into? It's absolute madness and we're into the ninth day of the Lunar New Year. The Year of the Water Tiger is not doing well at all, let alone the start of 2022. 

Can we start over again?

 

First Untraceable Case in Three Months

Lam says people must get at least one jab by February 24

The talk of the town tonight is the first untraceable infection in Tuen Mun -- the first in Hong Kong in three months, and how to bump up vaccination rates.

Health officials warn it could be an Omicron infection and that there could be silent transmission chains in the community.

The 42-year-old man did not visit Moon Palace restaurant in Festival Walk, the mall, or Kowloon Tong, or visit other high-risk places, or have contact with other infected patients.

Untraceable case did not go to Moon Palace

There are now six confirmed infections related to the restaurant, the latest is a 13-year-old who dined at Moon Palace with her mother, who is also infected.

The news of the untraceable infection came hours after Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor told the media it was fortunate there were no untraceable cases in the community. 

She also announced the deadline for having one jab to be able to eat in restaurants, go to cinemas, gyms and other leisure and entertainment venues would be February 24 -- long after Chinese New Year -- to give businesses time to prepare.

Sounds like a political decision, as there was a proposal for people to at least get the first jab by January 20, just before the Year of the Tiger.

But now with Omicron probably in the community, there is an urgency to get more people vaccinated, especially those who haven't even gotten their jabs yet.

However, will they? Discussion around the dinner table tonight was that elderly people, though they like dim sum, are not going to get vaccinated, particularly if they are quite elderly and worry about the side effects.

Booster shots administered at Sai Wan Ho

Though the other argument is that Hong Kong needs to live with the virus, so vaccination is key to getting more protection, old or young.

It's interesting that those booking their third booster shot can only go to Sai Wan Ho on Hong Kong island, whereas before it was available in numerous locations. That explains the long lines at the Eastern district location, and some people waiting up to an hour to get their jab.

But what about those who have yet to get the shot? How many people are finally going to bite the bullet so they can eat out, watch a movie, go to the gym, or sing karaoke?

Only 63.26 percent of the population are fully vaccinated. This is utterly deplorable.

And now with Omicron probably in the community, the number of local infections could rise significantly.

Maybe that will finally scare people into getting the jab? Who knows...