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.

The Blame Game Continues

Lam says primary schools to close, more vaccinations needed

The Hong Kong government is definitely terrified of the Omicron virus and after three kindergarten children were infected by family members, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor decided all primary schools will be closed from Friday, while secondary schools will stay open.

Sinovac vaccines will be made available to children as young as five, but other pharmaceutical companies have not filed their paperwork to apply to be administered in children. Surely there should be a choice for parents to decide which vaccine they want their kids to have.

Young children are back to online learning

Today the Centre for Health Protection reported 21 new cases, eight of which are local. There are concerns there could be silent transmissions within Tuen Mun, making it a hotspot now, along with Sha Tin, Causeway Bay and North Point. 

However the good thing is that people are more motivated to FINALLY get vaccinated and now 75 percent of the population have had at least one shot. It seems the walk-in line just for those 60 years old and above is a good motivator.

Meanwhile the birthday-gate continues, with Lam believes the Spanish restaurant, Reserva Iberica in Wan Chai may have operated "well beyond its capacity".

"I'm sure the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will shortly release some preliminary investigations about the restaurant, whether this restaurant could actually legally operate with this sort of dinner gathering," she said.

The restaurant can have 240 people for a banquet

Reserva Iberica is a Type D restaurant, where the FEHD says it can have a maximum of 240 people at a banquet, and at least two-thirds of the guests must be vaccinated with at least one dose.

So far about 200 people have been identified as being related to the party, so unless it goes over 240 people, then it breaches the rules the government set. And were at least two-thirds vaccinated?

One thing the dining establishment could be faulted on is not making sure every single guest used the Leave Home Safe app, which is another requirement of a Type D restaurant.

Why is Lam trying to pile the blame on the restaurant, and also Cathay Pacific?

How about getting your own people in line for not using the Leave Home Safe app in the first place, and not wearing masks when they were not eating or drinking?

Hong Kong now has 75 percent with one jab

In any event what's done is done and now the city must do its best to quickly clamp down on Omicron. The best way to do it is through vaccination and social-distancing. There was also talk of allowing those who are fully inoculated to use a vaccine passport and have privileges like dine in restaurants or go to cinemas. 

There's enough punishment for all of us, why not reward those who already got the jab and already lining up for boosters?

In order to nudge people, they need an incentive and a vaccine passport would be a good way to increase the number of inoculations in no time...

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...

Government Sets Minimum Size for Flats

Wong sets minimum size for flats on govt land to 280 sq ft

Finally the Hong Kong government has decided to take a stand and determine the minimum size of a flat.

Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun has determined that flats on government land can be no smaller than 280 square feet. We're assuming this is the amount of actual living space in the flat and not including public areas...

There are still lots of nano flats on the market

When asked why 280 sq ft was chosen, Wong said another subsidised project at Anderson Road in Kwun Tong had a minimum size limit of 250 sq ft that was used as a reference point. As the Tuen Mun parcel is a private piece of land, that is one step higher on the housing ladder (than one on government land), so the threshold was taken to 10 percent higher.

Government officials are not actually looking at the size of flats and saying, "This looks liveable to me,", but rather "What's the going rate now?" which is not how to solve the city's housing woes.

Have these senior ministers actually walked inside a 250 sq ft or 280 sq ft flat and asked themselves if they could actually live in there with all their stuff?

Apparently this is not how they do things.

"Now that we have set the rules of the game clearly, [developers] will not need to worry about their peers benefiting from a layout with very small units," Wong said. "We think it is a level playing field. It is a very fair-game rule."

How about a flat almost twice the size of this?

For the developers yes, but not the buyers, many of them young people trying to get onto the housing ladder.

Wong was not worried about the establishment of the minimum size affecting home-buying options as there were still plenty of flats measuring smaller than 300 sq ft.

The question now is what will happen to the values of the flats that are smaller than 280 sq ft? Will they be less valued because they don't make the grade anymore?

Hopefully with the minimum space determined, then we will see the end of nano flats, those smaller than 200 sq ft, though some real estate experts say the 280 sq ft will price many out of the market. 

A never-ending vicious circle...

Gruesome Way to Teach National Education

This year marks the 84th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre

Some young children have been traumatised after watching explicitly violent videos about the Nanking Massacre, that happened 84 years ago.

PLK HKTA Yuen Yuen Primary School in Tuen Mun last Thursday showed footage of brutal killings to pupils, some who were as young as seven, or in Primary Two, as part of activities to commemorate the massacre that began on December 13, 1937 in the city now known as Nanjing.

The video included scenes of rampaging Japanese soldiers burying Chinese civilians alive and shooting them in the head, as well as fields littered with dead bodies, including those of babies.

Primary Two pupils were traumatised from footage

On Monday a Primary Two student told the media outside the school that some of his classmates cried, and some refused to watch the video, which contained "scenes of execution and babies".

Asked what the teacher did after the students cried, the boy said, "The teacher continued to watch the video. Some students did not watch, holding their books."

Presumably in a bid to hide their eyes from watching the gut-wrenching footage that is horrific for anyone at any age to watch.

The school wrote to parents on Saturday after they reportedly complained about the screening, saying it was "distressed and worried" to learn some children felt uneasy after the class. It also vowed to pay more attention to children's feelings and offer counselling to them.

The commemoration was part of the school's drive to follow a bureau call for educators to develop in students "a sense of national identity and a sense of commitment towards the nation".

But perhaps after that horrific experience they will be too terrified and paralysed to do anything for the nation...

Lam says China's history must be taught

While Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor stressed the importance of learning about China's past, she put the onus on teachers to decide on lessons that were age appropriate, as she noted past complaints of officials trying to "control everything".

"It's not for education officials to dictate or... provide very detailed guidelines on what to show, when to show and so on," she said on Tuesday.

Lam hoped the public would recognise that learning Chinese history was "absolutely important for school education".

"If we don't understand history, it's hard to understand the significance and uniqueness of 'one country, two systems'," she said, referring to the governing principle for Hong Kong.

Yes, history is very important, and at the moment the government is trying to control the narrative of the city's history especially two years ago... except millions of people know another version...

Sleeping Bus Tour in HK

Now the sleep-deprived can catch up on sleep on a tour bus

I'm surprised this business opportunity was not spotted before the pandemic, but interesting it is now here -- long bus rides specifically for people to catch up on their sleep.

There is a 83km or over six-hour ride on a regular double-decker bus that goes around Hong Kong for people who want to snooze.

"When we were brainstorming new tours, I saw a social media post from my friend saying he was stressed out by his work, he couldn't sleep at night," said Kenneth Kong, the marketing and business development manager of ulu travel, the tour bus organizer.

A local tour company organizes the 6hr bus trips

"But when he was traveling on the bus, he was able to sleep well. His post inspired us to create this tour that lets passengers just sleep on the bus."

Tickets cost around HK$129 for a single seat, to HK$899 for those who want to take up extra seats, and depending on if they choose the upper deck or lower deck, and the each passenger gets a lunch to consume outside the bus, and a goodie bag that includes an eye mask and ear plugs.

The first "Sleeping Bus Tour" was last Saturday and it was sold out. Some passengers even brought their own blankets, or changed into slippers, or settled in with travel pillows.

The tour starts in Tsuen Wan and goes all the way to Tuen Mun, even makes stops for people to take pictures, including the aircraft maintenance area near Hong Kong International Airport.

One passenger, Marco Yung, joined the tour, as he usually manages to fall asleep on the bus during long journeys. 

Dr Shirley Li, the principal investigator of the Sleep Research Clinic and Laboratory at the University of Hong Kong says people's tendency to fall asleep on public transport is a type of conditioning.

Don't disturb people trying to sleep on this tour!

"People in Hong Kong don't have enough time to sleep," Li said. "That's why we have to kind of use other times to sleep, which is our daily commute, especially when we are traveling on public transport.

"For some people, they may tend to associate public transport with their sleep. And that's why they found it easier to fall asleep on the bus," she said. 

To pass the time, some people like to board random buses to see where they go, while this one is geared towards the sleep deprived. 

Have people become so desperate to try something new that they are signing up for these bus tours? Or are insomniacs really keen on riding this bus to catch some sleep? 

Either way it's a smart way for a tour company to think of a new way to market its services. It's not about seeing the sights, but enjoying a snooze on the bus.

Enticing the Elderly with Coupons to get Jab

Some elderly sign up for the jab at Shek Lei Estate, Kwai Hing

From the beginning, people suggested a good incentive would be for the government to handout  HK$5,000 in cash to people who are fully vaccinated.

But did the authorities consider this proposition?

"To offer cash or something physical to encourage vaccination shouldn't be done by the government and may even cause the opposite effect," said Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in late May.

Officials are urging the elderly to get the jab

But vaccination rates would have definitely been at higher levels if the government had done that from the beginning instead of relying on the corporate sector to create lucky draws in order to incentivize more people to get jabbed.

Now the government is desperately trying to get older people inoculated -- the most vulnerable population -- and now it's trying something new -- walk-in clinics and HK$200 in coupons.

Currently there are only 13 percent of those over 80 who are fully vaccinated. Part of the reason is misinformation, part of it is them not being internet savvy. Who would expect elderly people to be able to book an appointment online? The government is naive to think seniors' children will help them.

So today vaccination stations were set up in Shek Lei Estate in Kwai Hing, and one man in his 90s admitted he was there to get jabbed in order to receive HK$200 in supermarket coupons.

Seniors can use walk-in vaccination stations now

"I am poor so that's why [I'm getting the vouchers]," he said. "I was told by a district councillor [about the program today]."

The government will set up vaccination stations in Queen Elizabeth, Tuen Mun, and Queen Mary hospitals next week.

Fifty-eight percent of residents in their 60s have received at least one jab, while for those in their 70s it's 39 percent.

Today 260 seniors got vaccinated at Shek Kei Estate, and another 100 at Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society Kowloon in Kwun Chung Sports Centre.

C'mon folks! Let's get the jab for HK$200 supermarket coupons!

Two Sides to the Story

The children's books allegedly have "seditious" messages

 

For anyone wondering what it is like to be behind bars day after day, Lorie Lai Man-ling gives a bit of insight. She is the leader of the speech therapists union, and she along with the entire executive council were arrested in July for allegedly publishing "seditious" children's books.

She wrote an open letter and thanked people for visiting her everyday. "Thank you all for not forgetting me," Lai wrote.  

Lai and another woman were arrested in July

"With smartphones, conversations and idea exchanges in modern life become easier and more immediate -- there is no barrier in communication. Yet not until being held in remand did I realize the importance of communication. Every letter to me is a bridge to the world, and every word in it carries significance."

While Lai admitted she was mentally prepared for arrest, she asked if that in turn means she is guilty. "If not, what are the grounds to arrest and remand me?"

Lai said life behind bars is simple -- everyday eat, sleep, read, write and answer nature's call. But she insisted not to stop thinking, otherwise she will give up the struggle to defend her rights.

"Although the odds are more and more unfavourable today in Hong Kong, our states of mind have an effect on how we perceive the society and reality," she wrote. "Our bodies can be held captive, but our minds will always be free."

Lai is being held in this prison in Tuen Mun

While Lai sent out a public appreciation to people making the effort to visit her at Tai Lam Centre for Women in Tuen Mun, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung claimed inmates are using treats like chocolates to "build up forces" to endanger national security.

Tang alleged the prisoners are using visitors with religious or district council backgrounds to "spread their messages" to the outside world.

He also said the authorities have noticed organizations like the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund are sending letters, asking prisoners to "continue with their struggle".

"These [actions] seriously affect the rehabilitation program and have sown seeds of endangering national security," Tang told reporters at the Legislative Council today.

Tang claims prisoners are spreading messages

Everything, even treats in prison can be construed as endangering national security. But the authorities can control what goes in and out of the jails. 

Tang makes a great argument for people to leave Hong Kong.

Agnes Chow Released from Prison

Former Demosisto Agnes Chow released from prison today

A bit of good news this morning -- Agnes Chow Ting was released from prison after serving almost seven months for her role in a 15-hours siege of the Wan Chai police headquarters on June 21, 2019 during the anti-government protests.

At around 10am the 24-year-old emerged from Tai Lam Centre for Women in Tuen Mun and was mobbed by almost 100 reporters while a small group of supporters shouted, "Chow Ting add oil!" before getting into a white van.

There was a media frenzy of about 100 reporters 

Reporters noted Chow was much thinner than before and she admitted so in her Instagram post a few hours later.

"The pain that lasted for six months and 20 days has come to an end. What comes next is some good rest and recovery for the body. That's because my body has become really weak and slim during this period of time," she said, adding her comment should be read with a bitter smile.

She was originally jailed last December for 10 months for illegal assembly over the siege of the Wan Chai police headquarters on June 21, 2019. Her early release was due to her good behaviour. She was initially sent to Lo Wu Correctional Institution, but was later transferred to an isolation cell at the Tai Lam facility.

Chow pleaded guilty to charges of incitement and taking part in an unauthorized assembly. Her colleagues, Joshua Wong Chi-fung, 24, and Ivan Lam Long-yin, 26, were also imprisoned over the gathering. 

Chow, Lam, Wong convicted of illegal assembly

The only one among the trio without a previous criminal record, Chow burst into tears in the dock on learning the community service order her lawyers were seeking had been rejected. She has been in custody since entering her guilty plea on November 23.

However Chow is not completely free -- she was also charged under the national security law for colluding with foreign forces on the same day Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was arrested for colluding with foreign forces by calling for sanctions.

So far the police have granted Chow bail and not yet charged her, they still have her passport.

Meanwhile this evening part of the city was crawling with police, with the second anniversary of June 12, 2019, when protesters surrounded the Legislative Council in a bid to prevent the second reading of the now withdrawn extradition bill.  

Protesters at Wan Chai police station June 21, 2019

At least 2,000 officers were on the streets, at one point blocking the Cross Harbour Tunnel to check cars heading to Hong Kong island, and and some even entered two shopping malls, one in Mongkok, the other in Causeway Bay.

Anniversaries will not be forgotten but at the same time the police show up in force creating more tension... never ending...

 

RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong Abruptly Axed

This RTHK opinion show was suddenly axed on Sunday

 

The dismemberment of Radio Television Hong Kong continues to gather pace with the axing of a short weekly program called "Letter to Hong Kong".

It gives airtime to politicians and public figures to talk about a specific issue they want to address and it's on average eight to 10 minutes long.

The letter is written and recorded in English, so the speaker's oral skills may not be as good as a radio host, but many do have interesting things they want to say, or make a rebuttal to an issue in the news, or promote a cause that is worthy of the public's attention.

Mo's letter supported those in jail and was yanked

There was a balance of guests, some pro-establishment, some pan-democrats, or well-known figures. The last person to read his "Letter to Hong Kong" this past Sunday was businessman Allan Zeman, chairperson of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, who talked about the pandemic.

However the new head of RTHK Patrick Li Pak-chuen has canceled episodes at the last minute, leaving the station's staff scrambling for replacement items. 

In April, the "Letter to Hong Kong" featuring Tuen Mun district councillor Michael Mo Kwan-tai was yanked, possibly because he sent Easter greetings to those in detention and thanked them for their spirit of sacrifice.

"We may lose a battle, but we must not lose our determination to resist," he said.

The episode was suspended three days before it was to air and was replaced with Eugene Chan, President of the pro-Beijing Association of Hong Kong Professionals and a former chairperson of RTHK's board of advisors.

Also Chris Yeung Kin-hing, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association was told his appearance would be postponed in April. Looks like never.

Zeman read the last Letter to HK

"Letter to Hong Kong" will now be replaced by a show called "#Hashtag Hong Kong", where music will be played and NGOs will be invited to discuss livelihood issues. The first episode features Patrick Cheung Chi-hung, chairperson of the children's rights group Against Child Abuse, who called for mandatory reporting of child abuse.

Sounds pretty intense. But one presumes eventually there will be groups on the show talking about beach clean-ups, food waste, and recycling clothes...

 

Is the Fourth Wave Over Yet?

Community Testing Centres were fully booked for tests

 

For the first time since November 18, Hong Kong logged nine new coronavirus cases today, four of which were local, five imported.

However, health officials at this afternoon's press conference were at pains to remind the public to not socialize too much during the Lunar New Year holiday, that if they feel unwell they should seek medical attention, and to be vigilant about wearing a mask and hand hygiene.

Centre for Health Protection's new chief Dr Ronald Lam Man-kin was asked by a reporter that while the number of cases has dropped to single digits, was another three days enough to indicate this was a decreasing trend in order to allow gyms, beauty parlours, cinemas and amusement parks to reopen this Thursday, while restaurants can open until 10pm with four people per table.

Dr Lam warned the public to be careful these days

He was desperately doing verbal gymnastics to say that while the number of cases today was low, people will be going back to work tomorrow and that there is a possibility of a surge in infections in the next day or so, and didn't really answer the question.

"Looking back at past experience, usually after long vacations and gatherings... we will see some form of upsurge. We will not rule out the possibility that the number of cases will go up again. We need to observe that trend and be very, very cautious," Lam said.

As he was saying this, my neighbours were having a karaoke party one floor above, belting out Cantopop songs from the 1990s. 

This past weekend hotels were also very busy with staycations for Valentine's Day, many guests staying for two nights, along with special lunches and afternoon teas.

Again -- why did the Hong Kong government choose February 18 to reopen the above mentioned venues and not wait two weeks until the end of the month or early March? February 18 seems to early to tell if this is definitely a declining trend.

If restaurants and other places reopen, the chances of infections will rise again and Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will never reach her zero infection goal.

Many enjoyed staycations for Valentine's Day

Meanwhile chefs on social media are already hinting they will reopen this Thursday and that they can't wait to cook for dinner service.

However, I am of the camp that we should wait a bit longer to ensure the number of infections is definitely on a downward trend. It seems irresponsible for the authorities to promise something like this when on social media there are pictures of gatherings larger than 10 in people's flats to mark the start of the Year of the Ox.

And those are the get-togethers we know about. 

One of the infections reported today was a baker who worked in a bakery in a Tuen Mun shopping centre, and another was a student who has been studying online for months and hasn't been on the school premises.

Meanwhile to prepare for openings on Thursdays, all the community testing centres in the city are all booked solid for appointments and health officials again reminded people that they could also get tested by leaving their deep throat saliva samples in collection boxes at MTR stations.

Tomorrow and Wednesday should be interesting in terms of the number of cases and what will the government say if there is a surge in cases...

More Hongkongers Opt for Taiwan, and Ineffective Covid Lockdowns

In 2020 almost double the number of HKers emigrated to Taiwan

 

The number of Hongkongers who have emigrated to Taiwan has hit a three-decade high following the implementation of the national security law in late June.

Last year there were 10,813 Hongkongers who obtained resident permits in Taiwan, almost double the 5,858 in 2019, Bloomberg news reported, citing figures from Taiwan's Immigration Agency.

Some 10,000 are applying for Taiwan visas

The figure for 2020 was the highest since 1991, when Taiwan started compiling the data, the report said.

It is also more than the 7,506 people from Hong Kong and Macau who obtained Taiwan resident permits in 2014, during the Occupy Central protests.

From 2016 to 2018, about 4,000 Hongkongers acquired Taiwan resident permits every year.

Jason Yu, an immigration consultant, reports receiving 30 online enquiries per day, and more than 10,000 Hongkongers apply for dependent visas to live in Taiwan.

It's not a trickle, is a very steady stream that's increasing. And that's just Taiwan.

Meanwhile Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is flexing her muscles in a bid to get Hong Kong down to zero cases through aggressive lockdowns.

There are three happening tonight in Chai Wan, Tuen Mun and Tokwawan. 

Aggressive lockdowns have yielded no cases

These strict exercises lockdown an area, test everyone in the affected buildings and keep them overnight until their results are completed, but so far hardly any cases have been detected.

While the lockdowns to test everyone are well meaning, they are not rooting out the supposed asymptomatic cases that are supposedly spreading the virus. The government is even looking into breaking down the doors to flats of those who refuse to get tested.

In the meantime it was announced that some outdoor sports venues will reopen from Thursday, including running tracks, tennis courts, cycling parks and outdoor table tennis and badminton facilities.

Schools are also talking about testing teachers every two weeks and having students come in for half days.

So while the government is being militaristic in fighting the virus, its residents are somewhat compliant, but aren't that impressed. 

One man in a salon had to get tested for Covid-19

The restaurant and bar industry are pushing to loosen restrictions in time for Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day, but will the government listen to them? Many restaurants and bars are saying they can barely stay alive now, but is now the time to lift restrictions just because of some significant cultural dates?

It's a tough call, but everyone is eager for some kind of normalcy, but again that can't happen if not everyone is on board with getting a vaccine...

Police Sergeant's Drunken Misadventure

An office measures out how far apart people should be

 

The Hong Kong police are out in force these days to make sure people are social distancing in groups of four in public. 

But they themselves have flouted the rules and then some.

A sergeant was sentenced to 160 hours of community service for assaulting a junior officer during an illegal public gathering. He was suspended.

David Leung pleaded guilty to common assault

David Leung Kwok-wing was spared jail at Tuen Mun Court on Tuesday, after he pleaded guilty to common assault during a drunken brawl on April 19.

The 40-year-old Leung and his nine colleagues flouted the government's ban on public gatherings of more than four people when they met for dinner late in the evening for a farewell dinner for policewoman So Ling-nga, who was leaving the force.

Leung got into a heated exchange with 31-year-old So after she teased him for his "inability to drink". 

During the altercation he grabbed her by the hair for 10 seconds, causing her head to swell and she sustained scratches to her arms. She was granted two days' sick leave after the incident.

At first Leung denied the accusation under caution and during a police investigation, and then changed his plea to guilty. He has agreed to compensate So HK$3,000 (US$387) for her injuries.

Ten officers also fined for not social distancing

Magistrate Kelly Shui accepted the probation officer's recommendation of community service for Leung only because of his timely guilty plea. She told Leung his fall from grace was due to his arrogance.

"The two days' sick leave [given to the victim] was, to some extent, telling that you had no reservation to go all out when you pulled your colleague's hair," Shui told the sergeant.

"You are a law enforcement officer. You yourself have to set a good example for others. You have to be forgiving to your colleagues."

Shui warned the court "would not go easy" on Leung should he violate the terms of the community service order.

The 10 officers, all from Tin Shui Wai Police Station, have been fined for breaking the social distancing ban, but it was not revealed how much they were fined, as it can be as much as HK$50,000 (or imprisoned for six months).

Leung will also undergo an internal disciplinary hearing. 

Why these officers thought they were above the law or could get away with flouting social-distancing measures is outrageous, and then to get drunk and pull a colleague's hair because she teased him for not holding his alcohol is just as outrageous.

At least justice was done here.

Next!

No More Double Tenth?

Dr Sun Yat-sen's portrait in Tiananmen Square

 

If there is one thing Taiwan and China can agree on, it is that Dr Sun Yat-sen is the father of modern China.

They both respect him deeply, and Sun's portrait is placed in Tiananmen Square during national holidays, like the National Day holiday that just ended.

"Red House" in Tuen Mun

However being able to pay respects to him in Hong Kong was made impossible today, October 10, Taiwanese National Day, also known as "Double Tenth".

The Double Tenth anniversary commemorates the start of the Wuchang Uprising in Hubei province on October 10, 1911, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and resulted in the establishment of the Republic of China, which was led by Sun.

For Kuomintang compatriots in Hong Kong, today they would hold a raising ceremony and sing nationalistic songs and then pay their respects at Hung Lau, or "Red House" in Sun Yat-sen Garden in Tuen Mun. This was one of Sun's former revolutionary bases, and every year until today, over a hundred people would gather.

But this year was completely different.

Apparently the dilapidated home is owned by a mainlander and today it was guarded by black-suited security guards in bright orange vests. The garden was also crawling with police officers, something Mak Ip-sing had never seen before. He has been a longtime organizer of the events and the vice-chairman of the Yuen Long District Council. He studied at a Taiwanese University and his father was a KMT soldier.

Scuffle between a KMT patriot and security guard

Many KMT fled to Hong Kong after the Communists took over China in 1949, so Double Tenth is very important to them and their children.

One or two people tried to approach the over century-old building in Sun Yat-sen Garden and were roughly handled by the sharply-dressed security guards. 

In the end people gave up approaching the building and instead stood in groups of four nearby to sing nationalistic songs to avoid violating the social-distancing regulations.

Mak called off all events involving Taiwanese flags over fears of violating the new national security law.

"Our legal advice suggested that we should not risk falling afoul of the law, which is extremely vague and broad," he said, adding a lunch and dinner banquet had been organized, but the restaurant cancelled the booking at the last minute citing social-distancing measures. Mak believes the restaurant was pressured to cancel the event because it involved displaying Taiwanese flags.

No one was allowed near Hung Lau today

A man surnamed Chen, who wore a blue T-shirt printed with KMT characters, said he was deeply disappointed over being denied access and the lack of Taiwanese flags. Previously there would be many Taiwanese flags flying in the area for the day.

"Do the authorities fear the display of flags will endanger the security of China?" he said. "We are here to honour Sun Yat-sen for his role in ending 2,000 years of imperial rule in China." 

Indeed. Seems the desire to pay their respects to China's founding father has been kiboshed thanks to the more assertive control of Beijing over Hong Kong. 

Perhaps last year was the last year they could do that freely, and the same goes with the candlelight vigil to mark June 4 in Victoria Park, mass peaceful rallies on July 1 and October 1... the list will continue to grow...

Tests Yield Few Results So Far

Over 800,000 have signed up to take the free coronavirus virus test so far

Today it was reported in the universal testing scheme, of the 128,000 tested so far, only six were found to be positive, four of which were recovered patients who were discharged last month. So basically only two new cases were found.

That means the program so far has a success rate of 0.0046 percent.

Dr Yuen demonstrating how to take self-tests

According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection, the four cases had small traces of the pathogen, but did not pose a risk to others and did not need to be quarantined.

The other two were a 63-year-old man who lives in Kwai Tsing, and a 22-year-old woman in Tuen Mun. 

Despite the six cases, University of Hong Kong microbiologist Professor Yuen Kwok-yung warned finding asymptomatic carriers was crucial in this exercise.

"Just a handful of cases could undermine us," he said. "Let's say there are 20 cases in every 800,000 people. If you do the maths, given that Hong Kong has a population of 7 million, there are going to be some 100 cases."

If those 100 people went out and spread the coronavirus in restaurants and public transport, then Yuen says, the consequence could be "very serious".

Also he even gave a demonstration of how to do the nostril and throat swabs -- on himself much to the delight of his fans who have admired his work on the coronavirus pandemic.

THIS IS EPIC - Prof. Yuen Kwok-Yung showing how to take throat swab for #COVID19 testing by himself via @StandNewsHK pic.twitter.com/sXTVrGiYmn

— Galileo Cheng (@galileocheng) September 3, 2020

As of Thursday night, 884,000 people registered to do the free virus test, and 470,000 have completed the test.

At least one Chinese brokerage company forced its employees to participate in the universal testing. If they didn't, it would be noted in the employees' work performance.

Even Carrie Lam and Matthew Cheung (centre) took the test

The accusation was made by the Hong Kong Financial Industry Employees General Union. It criticized Founder Securities, saying the citywide tests are voluntary in nature and workers have the right to choose whether to take part "based on their actual needs and wishes".

The union asked Founder Securities to respond but it didn't.

Today eight new coronavirus cases were reported, one of which was imported.