Finally, Some Loosening of Restrictions

Lam delivered some good news to Hong Kong residents today

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has finally loosened some restrictions, but social-distancing measures are still in place until at least April 21.

Those stuck abroad in the nine countries that were banned for months, including Canada, the United States, Australia, India, Nepal, and Britain, can finally come back direct from April 1. In addition travellers coming to Hong Kong will need to show a PCR test no more than 48 hours before boarding. When they arrive and test negative, they can quarantine in a hotel for one week if their PCR tests are negative on the fifth day, and RAT tests are negative on day six and seven.

HK residents in nine countries can return April 1

Also Lam said universal testing was indefinitely postponed for now until the fifth wave was under control and needed to flush out the rest of the infections. She cited how tens of thousands of staff would be needed to be mobilised for this operation, something that would be difficult to accomplish well in Hong Kong's environment.

If the number of cases go down further this month, then social-distancing measures will be further relaxed in three phases. The first would be having four people to a table in a restaurant and dining until 10pm, while gyms, beauty parlours and religious venues would reopen along with museums and sports venues run by the government.

Then at a later date, phase two would entail bars, pubs, karaoke lounges, swimming pools and public beaches can reopen, restaurants could have up to eight people per table and open until midnight.

From April 21, people can eat four to a table

In the third phase, all restrictions would be lifted on restaurants and bars, and opening hours extended.

Remember the students currently on their "summer break"? That all ends on April 19 when face-to-face classes resume. Lam also encouraged students to get their jabs.

No sooner had she made the announcement on lifting the ban on the nine countries did Hong Kong residents overseas start trying to book for tickets. Airlines and hotels were hearing the announcement at the same time and were probably scrambling to establish schedules, rooms and prices.

It was also announced yesterday that people need to get their booster by May 31 instead of the end of June in order to be able to enter many public places, such as restaurants, shopping malls, government offices, universities, hospitals and hair salons to get people vaccinated.

Children are encouraged to get vaccinated

Interesting to see what unvaccinated people have to say about pushing up deadlines. They will be further shut out of daily life in Hong Kong while the rest of us are moving on.

Also interesting was that Lam insists the government is not adopting the strategy of "living with the virus", but perhaps she has been given a directive that it's time to loosen up a bit for the sake of the economy...

Here We Go Again

Today Lam announced tough measures to contain Omicron

Hong Kong is on the cusp of the fifth wave with several local cases of Omicron in the community, and the government has clamped down hard with some severe measures. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor held the 3.30pm press conference that the entire city tuned in to hear and it was bad news.

From midnight January 7-20, all restaurants must close by 6pm until 5am, and depending on if it is a B, C, or D restaurant, there will be two, four and six people per table respectively. Large gatherings of any kind are banned, bars, venues with live music, karaoke, dancing, gyms, swimming pools, gaming arcades, government-run leisure buildings are all shut for two weeks.

In addition all "cruises to no where", local tours are banned, as well as visits to elderly homes and hospitals, mahjong parlours and cinemas.

Nine on this cruise ship are a possible cluster

Hardly anyone will be able to enter Hong Kong, as eight countries have been banned from returning to the city from January 8 for two weeks: Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the US and UK, including via transit. 

My colleagues were in a bitter mood when they heard the news. One joked he was doing "Dry January" anyway -- where he had stopped drinking for a month to give his liver a break. Another was more sanguine, saying Hong Kong International Airport's third runway could be used to build a quarantine camp since there were no more flights coming and going. Golf carts would be needed to get around...

While Lam hoped these strict measures will help contain the virus in time for Chinese New Year, after having been through this so many times, Hongkongers are not holding their breath. It could be months before Omicron is contained.

It also demonstrates the Zero-Covid strategy is practically impossible to achieve -- there needs to be an increase in the number of vaccinations and an acceptance of the reality that the virus will continue to be in the community one way or another.

Events like the Cyclothon is cancelled 

One piece of good news was that just over 50 percent of all seniors in Hong Kong have had at least one jab, though that means some 593,000 over 70 years of age have yet to be vaccinated.

That compares to 38,000 seniors in Singapore yet to be inoculated, which has a population of 5.6 million.

The other bit of relief for parents was that schooling has not been affected -- yet -- as Lam hoped to avoid as little disruption to classes as much as possible. 

She said the tough measures would be reviewed again on January 14 to see how well they were working or if even harsher measures needed to be adopted.

Health experts believe there could be up to 10 transmission chains already in the community. The cluster at Moon Palace restaurant has grown to six, and another cluster of nine people on board a cruise ship with 2,500 people; the ship had to turn around and come back a day earlier. There is also a possible dancing cluster -- again...

Restaurants must close by 6pm again

Meanwhile there are very long lines at vaccination centres to get either the first, second or third jab.

The government was caught flat-footed in anticipating demand for vaccines. Secretary for Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen will be questioned for sure on why the government has not prepared for the onslaught of people wanting to get jabbed. 

In the meantime people are disappointed 2022 has already started badly and wonder will happen in the next 360 days...

Karaoke Songs Could Breach National Security

Karaoke singers will have to be mindful of their song choices

 

Perhaps it was going to happen eventually, but the Chinese government has come down on karaoke songs, banning those that are perceived to "endanger national security".

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will establish a blacklist of banned songs deemed to have "illegal content", such as endangering national security and unity, inciting ethnic hatred, or promoting cults, gambling and vice.

Venues need to delete songs with "illegal content"

This is not new -- apparently China regularly removes songs deemed to be "politically incorrect" from domestic music streaming services, but now karaoke fans can't belt them out in the privacy of their own party rooms.

In its announcement published on Tuesday, the ministry did not explain how a song could land in the blacklist or reveal which songs endangered national security.

The national security law implemented in Hong Kong last June effectively criminalized public performances of songs sung during the anti-government protests in 2019.

That same year, Chinese music streaming sites also removed unofficial protest anthems, such as Les Miserables' Do You Hear The People Sing, as well as some songs by Chinese rock musician Li Zhi that reference the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

The new regulations come into effect October 1, which means before then karaoke content providers must audit their catalogues of these blacklisted songs, adding the ministry may establish a central expert review group for songs.

Some songs by rocker Li Zhi may be blacklisted

"Since there are almost 50,000 karaoke and entertainment venues nationwide, law enforcement and supervision is particularly difficult," said an unnamed ministry source quoted by Xinhua news agency.

"The basic song library of karaoke venues' systems can have over 100,000 songs, and it can be difficult for venue operators to identify illegal tracks."

It's made even harder when there is no official list of banned songs and so karaoke operators will have to guess.

Chinese bureaucracy at its finest, and a way to suddenly create employment to enforce the banned songs...

Vaccinated Night Owls can Party

Vaccinated diners can sit six to a table until midnight

Remember what it was like being in a bar? Or a nightclub, or karaoke lounge?

Finally after over four months, or basically a year of opening and closing, bars are allowed to re-open on April 29 until 2am and only two people per table. Karaoke lounges can have four people.

Night owls and wannabe warblers must be rejoicing! 

Cheung (centre) says government made concessions

However, all staff and customers must have had at least one dose of the vaccine. If staff claim medical reasons, they must fill out a government declaration form explaining why they can't get the jab, and be subjected to regular testing.

Executive councillor and lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, who represents the catering sector, said the reopening of bars would be reviewed every two weeks.

"The permanent secretary for food and health told us that if there were a lot of staff from the bar industry who cited medical reasons for failing to take the shots, further restrictions would not be ruled out," he said.

"For patrons who would like to visit bars, they have to get at least one vaccine jab."

He also said as government restrictions ease, the authorities are backing down on its insistence that all bars, restaurants, nightclubs and karaoke lounges must make their customers use the LeaveHomeSafe app. 

Zeman says the new measures are "baby steps"

Cheung said the government originally only wanted bars to open until midnight, but made concessions to allow them to operate until 2am to give bars a chance to survive (belatedly).

It's hard to see how the government can implement "vaccine bubbles" in restaurants, (four to a table until 10pm if not vaccinated and six to a table till midnight if vaccinated) when many are tiny eateries where you can't really social distance at all. 

Nevertheless, one of the happiest people today was Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman upon hearing the latest relaxing of measures. He said the government's "baby step" was a good start for the bar industry.

"The good thing is they listened to the industry and allowed businesses to open until 2am, which is a very important step... The important thing is for everyone to be safe," he said.

More jabs means less LeaveHomeSafe app

Today was also the first day those 16-29 years old could sign up for the BioNTech vaccine. One would have thought those spots would be filled up quickly, but except for the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, there's still many spots available.

Come on Hong Kong! What are you waiting for? The faster we all get jabs, more restrictions will be lifted. Or even better, there would be no need to use the LeaveHomeSafe app.

How about making that our end goal?

Lam Suggests Privileges for Those Vaccinated

Lam announces new measures today for those vaccinated

As of today 578,900 people or 7.7 percent of Hong Kong's 7.8 million residents have gotten the first Covid-19 vaccine, and 255,900 have gotten fully vaccinated, it's still slow going.

Today a mask-less Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor tried to entice the public to get their jabs by suggesting restrictions could be lifted for those who have had at least one jab, and more privileges for those who've had two.

Vaccinated staff and customers enjoy benefits

For example, if a restaurant's staff and customers have all had the first jab, then they could seat six to a table and could possible open to midnight. And if the staff and diners have the second jab, then two weeks later they could seat up to 12 people per table in a "clean zone" and eat until 2am. 

Banquets could have up to 100 people.

She hinted that if people get vaccinated, then places like karaoke lounges, party rooms and bars could reopen.

However, people would also need to use the LeaveHomeSafe app -- no more paper forms. A lot of people are not going to be happy with this measure, as they don't trust the government nor the app in its promises of not storing private information.

"This so-called vaccine bubble is very much based on the individual behaviour or the [behaviour of the] group of individuals, or the venue-based group of individuals," Lam explained. 

Only 7.7 percent of the population is vaccinated

"So if you have been vaccinated and all the staff in the restaurant have been vaccinated, then they can enjoy the relaxed measures in terms of the number of customers per table and the operating hours.

"We do not have to wait until everybody or a certain percentage of Hong Kong people have been vaccinated," Lam said.

However, she seems to have forgotten that people under 30 years of age cannot be part of these "vaccine bubbles" because they are not yet eligible for the jab.

When the media pointed this out to the Chief Executive, her response was: "Even if they can't dine in, they can go to the cinema. I am not limiting those to cinemas needs to receive a vaccination."

HUH?

So people under 30 should go to the movies and not eat in a restaurant?

Fact of the Day: HK$5M in Fines

Hanging out at the beach means a visit from the authorities

The five-day Easter/Qing Ming break is over, and the Hong Kong government has netted HK$5 million (US$643,000) in fines because 980 residents violated social-distancing regulations.

The police gave out the most fines at 959 fixed-penalty notices, while the Leisure and Cultural Services Department issued 14,000 verbal warnings and 21 fines while inspecting its venues.

HK$5 million in fines were issued this holiday

During Easter break, some of the raids included illegal gambling halls, restaurants, unlicensed bars and party rooms, with 48 percent of the fines issued in Kowloon West.

Currently bars, karaoke, and party rooms remain closed, while people can dine four to a table in restaurants until 10pm.

With bars having been forced to close for over 200 days over the past 12 months, some bar operators are holding a hunger strike in a bid to get the government to lift restrictions on their premises. However, the authorities seem unmoved by their action, even though they have a strong argument that restaurants have been allowed to operate in the evenings.

Meanwhile during the holiday, people flocked to beaches and the outlying islands. There were big lines for the ferries to Cheung Chau and Peng Chau, and Sai Kung pier looked packed. People also enjoyed staycations in hotels and dined out in restaurants.

People lining up at Lai Chi Kok for their jab

While today there were seven new coronavirus cases, three of which were local, health experts caution that there may be a spike in cases in the next few days.

The surges and drops in cases seem never ending, and yet Hongkongers are not keen on getting the vaccine, which is frustrating to say the least.

The sooner Hong Kong has at least 70 percent of its residents vaccinated, the sooner restrictions can be lifted and perhaps build a stronger case for the city to take part in travel bubbles with other countries.

But at the rate we're going, it make take till next year...

 

 

Green Light for Reopening Some Venues

This afternoon Dr Chan announced loosening of restrictions

 

So it's happening.

The Hong Kong government announced the relaxation of measures starting on Thursday, the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.

However there are some odd choices of why certain venues will reopen and others will not.

What will open? 

Theme parks like Ocean Park can reopen

Restaurants can operate until 10pm and have four to a table -- even though in terms of public gatherings are still a maximum of two people. Secretary for Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said this regulation will be amended to four people soon.

Other places can open, like cinemas, gyms, massage and beauty parlours, concert halls, theme parks, exhibition centres, bowling alleys, skating rinks, and game centres.

But venues that will remain closed are bars, party rooms, bathhouses, karaoke lounges, mahjong parlours, beaches, children's play facilities, barbecue sites and swimming pools.

It boggles the mind how this government decides that for example game centres can open but not swimming pools or beaches. Children can't even play on playgrounds.

When asked about this, Chan didn't have an answer, only to say the government was proceeding with caution, and is being vigilant for any rebound in cases after the Lunar New Year.

"I don't think the next phase of relaxation will be very soon," she replied to a question asking when the other venues may reopen.

Mahjong parlours remain closed

Meanwhile people are rushing to buy an extra phone and sim card to use the LeaveHomeSafe app starting on Thursday when entering premises like restaurants, cinemas, wet markets and gyms.

The salesperson who sold me the sim card said he had already helped several customers with the same request.

I remarked that his company was lucky to get this extra business considering others are still hurting because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Actually we don't really want to do this kind of business -- pandemic business. This app is making people spend more money when they shouldn't have to," he said, adding it was just like the mask-buying situation where the scarcity led to high prices. 

Afterwards I set up the app and tried it out this evening. It's easy to use, scanning a QR code when you enter, then press "leave" when you are leaving, though it prompts two options of "leaving now" or "already left".

Swimming pools must also stay shut

It is hoped the app can help people record their movements in case they themselves are infected, or can alert others if they were in the same place at the same time. In theory it will help speed up contact tracing and it will be interesting to see how quickly people will comply to using it from Thursday.

In the meantime I will continue to walk instead of swim for exercise, though I have die-hard swimming friends who have resorted to open-water swimming these last several months! 

 

More Social-Distancing Restrictions Lifted

You can exercise in the gym from Friday but you must wear a mask

Gym rats, rejoice! You can finally go crazy on your workouts grunting loudly or sweating profusely from Friday now that the government has allowed them to reopen.

However -- you will need to wear a mask while you're exercising.

Ha!

Chan also announced dining can be extended until 10pm

Also group classes are limited to four, including the instructor.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee made the announcement early this afternoon. Other sports like badminton, table tennis, tennis, and outdoor bowling can be played again, but not squash or swimming. Snooker can now resume, if you consider it a sport.

It looks like the restaurant industry's hard lobbying efforts have worked and now dining establishments can stay open until 10pm. Apparently there were complaints some people finish work late and can't finish eating by 9pm. Perhaps these are people who can't cook and don't want to wash dishes either.

Not all restaurants are happy with the latest announcement because each table is still limited to two people. The other day I saw a family, two parents with a baby and toddler, eat at two separate tables. Very awkward, but they seemed used to this arrangement.

The wife ordered dishes and gave some food to her husband, who was carrying the sleeping baby in a pouch.

Tennis courts can reopen, but not swimming pools

Clubhouses and massage parlours can reopen as well, but basketball courts, football pitches, karaoke bars and mahjong parlours must stay closed.

Hong Kong had eight new coronavirus cases today, the lowest number since July 3 when five cases were recorded.

While relaxing more measures is great news for people who are experiencing serious pandemic fatigue after eight months, one has to wonder again why this is happening when universal testing is happening now?

One would think that it would be best to partially lift measures after the mass testing was completed, but this is happening in tandem, which, from a scientific point of view defeats its purpose.

"If we have to be scientific or to be accurate, you might have to do the test twice in a short period of time with a stay-at-home order, and that is more scientific if you want to go get the data that you use for reference," said Ivan Law, vice chairman of the Hospital Authority Employees' Alliance.

He cited the example of Taiwan that managed to keep the number of coronavirus cases low and economic activities have largely resumed.

Law says the mass testing scheme is not scientific

"I think it's not necessary to do a universal screening program for you to [ease] those restrictions," he said.

The alliance and other medical experts have questioned the need for universal testing, and Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor criticized them for having politically-motivated views aimed at discrediting Beijing.

Law hit back, saying the government should focus on reviewing and improving the scheme instead of hitting back at critics.

It's just more apparent the exercise is not meant to be scientific...  

In the past two days, 278,000 people have been tested, and those tested on the first day have results coming back negative. A total of 798,000 have registered to take part.

HK's Third Coronavirus Wave

The spike in cases these last few days are alarming HK

Today Hong Kong recorded 34 new local coronavirus cases and eight imported for a total of 1,365 which has alarmed local residents.

Of the local cases, 23 of them were from a seniors' home in Tze Wan Shan, and nine cases in Jordan and Choi Hung, including three taxi drivers. Earlier this week three other drivers tested positive for the virus.

While this number may seem tiny compared to other cities, Hong Kong is not used to having so many in one day, and especially such a high number of local infections, which suggests a third wave.

Chan announces new distancing measures

Starting from Saturday, restaurants can only operate at 60 percent capacity, with eight people per table, while at bars, the maximum per table is four people.

In gyms, party rooms and karaoke lounges can only have eight people.

Also, the government appealed to those working in public transport, such as taxi drivers, bus drivers, and elderly care homes, and the hospitality industry to get tested, as many of the new cases are from these sectors.

Secretary for Health, Professor Sophia Chan Siu-yee said: "Our target is not to achieve zero infection, but to control the [number of cases] to the level that our health care system can accommodate."

She added some of the latest infections were because people weren't wearing masks at work or in public areas. As a result, people will not be allowed to eat in cinemas and during theatre performances, while those who have finished eating in restaurants, should put on their masks.

Several taxi drivers have tested positive for virus

Chan suggests people should not share food, and order takeaway instead.

Here we go again.

If their employers allow them, many people are working from home again. Just when Hongkongers thought life was soon coming back to normal, it isn't...

Hong Kong Continues to Flatten Curve in Eerie Silence

Today's sunset from Wan Chai, with no one walking around outside

Yesterday Hong Kong recorded zero new coronavirus cases, and with such good news, the daily 4.30pm press briefing was cancelled.

However health experts warned that now was not the time to lift restrictions, that there had to be 28 consecutive days of no cases for that to happen first.

Four people who came back to HK were new cases

And then today the city reported four new cases, all of them infected while overseas, and so the counting down of restrictions has to be reset again.

As a result "social-distancing measures" will continue, with bars, karaoke bars, beauty salons, spas, fitness centres and pubs will remain closed, as well as barbecue pits and campsites.

However, starting on Friday, restaurants can have more than 50 percent capacity, as long as tables are at least 1.5 metres apart, or separated by partitions for another 14 days.

Yesterday I visited The Peninsula Hong Kong and was told despite the measures, the hotel's restaurants were busy with local patrons, though not all of its restaurants were open. The iconic Gaddi's which serves contemporary French cuisine had yet to be open since late January and would open next week along with Felix and Chesa.

Social distancing in restaurants will continue for 14 days

Meanwhile in Wan Chai at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong tonight, the Tiffin Lounge was completely shut down as it was a buffet concept, while the coffee shop called Grand Cafe was doing a decent, though quiet business.

All the hotels in the city are offering staycation packages, but how many people would actually take up the offer? Lots of people may still be worried about taking the health risk of staying in a hotel, while others may have lost their jobs or gone on no pay leave and would rather save their money.

From what I've heard from restaurant and hotel people is that they are projecting things to be practically back to normal by June. Even if it were to be OK, the rest of the world will not have flattened their curves to zero, so there probably won't be any overseas visitors coming to Hong Kong anytime soon.

Tiffin Lounge in the Grand Hyatt has completely shut down

It's a tough situation for everyone involved, which means everyone. Around the world.

After I left the Grand Hyatt, I walked towards Admiralty and was shocked to see the streets had no cars; if there were cars they were just parked on the street. It was so easy to cross roads without worrying about vehicles hurtling past.

On the one hand it was surprising and quiet, but the other was sad and eerie.

Community, not Government, Fights the Virus

The stress of the pandemic is having a toll on Hongkongers, two months on

Imagine in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, you are born to the world and six weeks later you contract the contagious virus.

That's what happened to a baby boy at a celebration for him on March 30. He is the youngest known infected patient in Hong Kong and health officials are trying to track down who came into contact with the baby.

On this day 17 years ago we lost Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing

"The person might have held him, thereby infecting him," said Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection at a press conference today.

Dr Lau Ka-hin, chief manager of quality and standards at the Hospital Authority, said the baby had a fever of up to 38 degrees Celsius, but was in stable condition. He was tested for other illnesses like meningitis, and the tests were normal.

His parents tested negative for the cornavirus.

The child is being given a cocktail of anti-viral medication on the advice of experts.

We hope the baby will pull through and get better soon, and we can only imagine his parents in shock and fear at the situation they have put their child in. Major guilt complex for sure.

What would goh goh think about our world today?

This being April 1 is also a sad anniversary -- the death of Cantopop king Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing who committed suicide on this day in 2003 in the midst of the SARS epidemic. He was 46 years old.

Seventeen years later and we are experiencing something worse than SARS that is affecting the entire world.

On social media, many people posted pictures of him to remember "goh goh". My friend YTSL told me there would be no gathering at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong where he died, due to the coronavirus. Every year lots of bouquets of flowers are placed by the hotel by fans who still miss their idol deeply.

What would goh goh think about where Hong Kong is now? We have all been through so much in the intervening years, and yet this pandemic as well as the anti-government protests are far from over.

Long lines for masks in the early stages of the epidemic

Luckily the number of cases in the city is relatively low compared to others, as the community has been quicker to respond than the authorities by wearing masks and social distancing at an early stage; meanwhile the media continue to press the government on why it is not enacting tougher measures faster to prevent people from gathering.

Finally today karaoke lounges and mahjong parlours must shut for 14 days after a lot of questions from reporters yesterday. Beauty and massage parlours may be next. But the government should really be implementing tougher measures right from the beginning; why is it waiting for an uproar from the public and the media before finally shutting establishments down temporarily?

No wonder some 70 percent of people believe Hong Kong has managed to avoid a large-scale epidemic due to the efforts of the community, in a recent survey conducted by Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Karaoke lounges and mahjong parlours are finally shut down

Over 60 percent of respondents are dissatisfied with the government's immigration measures since the outbreak, as there were many calls to completely shut off the border with the mainland, but the authorities refused.

When it comes to the government procuring protective equipment, some 67 percent of people are dissatisfied, as evidenced by the massive lines for masks and the exorbitant prices for them. The government promised more masks for the community, particularly the elderly and those in seniors' homes, but that promise doesn't see to have been kept. Healthcare workers have also protested about not having enough protective gear.

One would think that showing leadership during this pandemic would be a good opportunity for Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to redeem herself after her pathetic performance during the eight-months of protests (which are still on-going by the way). But she squandered that chance and seems to be constantly playing catch-up and reacting to issues than being pro-active about them.

Perhaps she doesn't care much about the upcoming Legislative Council elections in November?

Can HK Restaurants Survive the Pandemic?

Hong Kong's new normal of restaurants having 50 percent capacity

This morning (well late morning) I ventured to a place near where I live that just organizes pop-ups, or guest chef promotions on a regular basis, with chefs from around the world.

However with the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions, the owner had to quickly switch gears -- and in fact he did several months ago already -- and instead do collaborations with young up-and-coming local chefs who are keen to try some new culinary ideas.

Chef Eric Raty with his blueberry pie

The owner was telling me how business was very difficult these days, as his space is not open everyday, and with customers not really having an appetite to sit down to a multi-course dinner, he has moved very quickly to have a bake sale today, his first.

I walked over to the place just after it opened and it seemed to be doing a brisk business, with a lot of people already pre-ordered items that were packaged in large brown paper bags.

I hadn't, but came prepared with my own takeaway boxes and the chef who has a Michelin two-starred restaurant, personally packed my boxes with baked treats like gluten-free chocolate walnut cookies, a blueberry and cardamon pie, and a small Finnish tart.

Later after lunch I had one of the cookies -- it was so delicious and overwhelmingly chocolately that I could not finish the second cookie, which is very rare for me to do. It was just so delicious that texted the chef to tell him that.

The owner was there and we didn't talk much because he was really busy preparing tea and coffee for guests who were sitting inside and enjoying their pastries. I was worried about him because before the bake sale,  he had told me that he needed to find ways to make money fast, otherwise he could only sustain his business for another two months.

Gluten-free chocolate walnut cookies were for sale today

That is the reality of a lot of restaurants in Hong Kong now. One large restaurant group that has 21 restaurants in the city and another exclusively for takeout, and is under a lot of financial pressure to ensure its over 1,000 staff still have jobs.

However, one local group has decided to shut down all 48 of its restaurants for two weeks "for everyone's health and safety", the group said in its Facebook page on Friday.

Tao Heung Holdings has a variety of Chinese restaurants like Tao Heung, Pier 88, Hak Ka Hut, Chao Inn, Chung's Cuisine, and Tai Cheong, famous for its egg tarts.

Meanwhile a lot of places quickly implemented the 50 percent capacity rule, with some restaurants literally taping off tables or removing them on Saturday before the 6pm deadline. Other places had signs outside the doors explaining because of the strict rules they could only have a maximum of three tables at any one time.

One of Tao Heung's restaurants before it closed for two weeks

It will be interesting to see if the implementation of these strict regulations will indeed lower the number of cases in the next few days; the odd thing is that karaoke establishments fall under the restaurant license but how do you prevent people from sitting too closely together in a small room and they are sharing microphones...

Are people still going to these places when they should be social distancing?

Or is now the time to sing your heart out as a stress reliever? It's a dilemma.