Government Madly Spinning the Election

How many people will turn out for the December 19 election?

The Hong Kong government is really spinning hard when it comes to the upcoming Legislative Council elections on December 19.

First it was outlawing people from instructing others on how to vote even though casting a blank ballot is not illegal, then it was opening up three border checkpoints for Hongkongers living on the mainland to vote without having to quarantine.

Lam says low turnout does "not mean anything"

But of the possible 100,000 voters in the three areas, Lo Wu, Heung Yuen Wai, and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, only 18,000 people registered.

A survey found 60 percent of respondents had no idea who was running in the election and only 34 percent planned not to vote, to which the Independent Commission Against Corruption is looking into the possibility that the survey was influencing voters.

It seems that the government thinks voter turn out may be low, and so instead of hoping for high numbers, its leader is predicting all is well because of the silent majority.

In an interview with state-media outlet Global Times, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said a low voter turn out will "not mean anything".

"There is a saying from the government in the old days that when the administration is doing well and its credibility is high, the voter turnout will decrease because the people do not have a strong impetus to choose different lawmakers to supervise the government," she said. "Therefore, I think the turnout rate does not mean anything."

Hongkongers can also vote at three border points

Which "old days" is Lam referring to? The colonial ones when people didn't even have the right to vote?

She has to dig so far back in history, when only two years ago a record 71 percent of 4.13 million people turned out to cast their ballot to turn 17 out of 18 districts into pro-democracy ones.

Time to Push for More Jabs

It's time to implement vaccine passports at restaurants

Hong Kong's restaurant industry is calling for the lifting of social-distancing restrictions in restaurants if the government rolls out the vaccine passport plan. That would mean only those who have been fully vaccinated would be allowed to dine in restaurants.

Some restaurateurs and owners agree, and that if everyone at the table is fully vaccinated then there should be no limit on how many people are at each table. 

From December 9 people must use the tracing app

But for now the government has plans to have rules from January where at least two-thirds of diners per table must have at least one jab. The other one-third would be for exemptions like young children or those with medical conditions with a doctor's note.

This regulation would also extend to karaoke bars, gaming centres, beauty parlours, gyms and clubhouses, and all staff would have to be fully vaccinated.

However some restaurateurs and owners would rather wait until the city's inoculation rate was at 80 percent before implementing the vaccine passport, as many of their patrons are elderly, the vast majority of whom aren't yet to get vaccinated.

"The catering sector will definitely take a beating of at least 20 percent if a vaccine passport is implemented, as some people may refrain from dining out if they can't come together with their unvaccinated elderly family members," said Tommy Cheung Yu-yan who represents the catering industry in the Executive Council.

How long can we wait till we get to 80 percent herd immunity? It will take us forever at this rate. Why can't Hong Kong be like countries such as Italy and Germany and prevent those who haven't be jabbed from entering restaurants and shops? It is time to put the pressure on these people, and not being able to go out and enjoy themselves would be a strong incentive, would it not?

Italy does not allow unvaccinated into restaurants

Yes, we have had zero cases for the past 60 days, all of us are wearing masks (well there are more lax people who are not covering their noses), but for the most part people are complying. But it's not helping the city in lifting social-distancing restrictions.

Why is the government suggesting two-thirds of diners at each table be vaccinated? Why not the whole hog? It clearly illustrates the authorities are tip-toeing around this issue and not willing to be even more strict about it. 

In the meantime Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor talks up what will happen when the borders open with China, but no indication of when.

How about announcing a date and that could possibly incentivise more people to get inoculated. As one colleague says, Hong Kong needs a string of infections to get people to realise we need more people to get vaccinated. 

As one infectious disease expert has said, vaccination is the only way out.

Hong Kong Sends Warning Shot to WSJ

Tsang threatened to take "necessary action" against WSJ

The Hong Kong government continues to be on the offensive against anyone who may seem to be appear to be directing people on how to vote in the upcoming Legislative Council elections on December 19.

Its latest salvo was against the Wall Street Journal which published an editorial last Tuesday that said because the city's electoral system has been completely overhauled so that only "patriots" hold political power, so that "boycotts and blank votes are one of the last ways for Hongkongers to express their political views".

A screenshot of Tsang's letter headline

Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai took offence to the editorial and threatened "to take necessary action".

He wrote a letter to the WSJ dated December 1, but in it he mentions the election "next month". Nevertheless, the letter was printed in full with the headline: "Hong Kong Issues a Threat to the WSJ", hinting that freedom of the press was also being intimidated.

Tsang claimed there were "factual inaccuracies and baseless assumptions" in the WSJ editorial.

In his letter, Tsang claimed to be "shocked" that Hongkongers could only either cast a blank vote or boycott the election.

"Please be advised that inciting another person not to vote, or to cast invalid vote, by activity in public during election period is an offence under... the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, irrespective whether the incitement is made in Hong Kong or abroad," he wrote. "We reserve the right to take necessary action."

Chan says WSJ made a statement, not opinion

Last month Tsang also wrote to Bloomberg about its article about the upcoming election, claiming it was "sensationalist and biased reporting" that was "extremely deplorable".

However, Hong Kong Journalists Association chairman Ronson Chan Ron-sing expressed doubts over the need for Tsang to issue such warnings to a media outlet.

"The WSJ only made a statement that boycotts and blank votes are one of the ways voters can choose to express their political views. You can disagree with the WSJ and put forward your arguments." he said.

"Warning that it is against the law serves no purpose, and only makes you look like you are losing your bearings."

Ouch, but true.

Hong Kong's Pathetic Vaccination Rate Needs a Boost

New survey says 39 percent still yet to get vaccinated

It is frustrating to find Hong Kong has still not reached herd immunity -- the magic 70 percent double inoculated after vaccines were made available in the spring. Currently the city is at 67.6 percent, with only 18 percent of those 80 years and older who are vaccinated.

More than 5,600 respondents to the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong's online survey, 59 percent had both jabs, while 39 percent had yet to get inoculated.

18 percent of those aged 80 and over are jabbed

Of those unvaccinated, 47 percent of them had no plans of getting jabbed at all, while 27 percent were still undecided. The remaining 26 percent planned to get vaccinated but unsure of when.

"As specialists, we know that this [reluctance] is not good... Even before Covid-19, vaccines in general could prevent a lot of potential deaths and serious conditions for other illnesses, so vaccines can help a lot," said infectious disease specialist Dr Wilson Lam.

But William Chui Chun-ming, president of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists, said it was "not the right moment" for the city to transition to coexisting with the virus given the current inoculation rate, particularly with so many elderly residents still unvaccinated.

"When the vaccination rate goes up to more than 90 percent, then we can consider living with the virus," he said.

Leung says vaccination is the only way out

But when will that be?

The rest of us who got inoculated early are still waiting for the rest of Hong Kong to get jabbed, but many still don't care to, which is infuriating because it prevents us from moving forward.

Respiratory medicine specialist Leung Chi-chiu, who was not involved with the survey, says Hong Kong, like the rest of the world, is tired of the pandemic, "but vaccination must be the way out".

He suggests the government continue to prod people to get the jab, but the authorities should escalate to preventing unvaccinated people from visiting shops and restaurants.

Government pandemic adviser Yuen Kwok-yung says Hong Kong needs to get to 99 percent of the population inoculated to prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed before opening up to the mainland and the rest of the world.

Kwok believes 99 percent need to be vaccinated

Chui urged the public to get their jabs immediately rather than wait for a second-generation vaccine, as the threat posed by the Omicron variant remained uncertain.

"You will have to wait at least half a year before there are new-generation vaccines that can tackle Omicron... and if there are more variants coming up, it will cause panic among residents," he said. 

So Hongkongers, please do your civic duty and get your jabs! The rest of us are counting on you to help keep everyone safe unless you want us to live in a hermit kingdom sealed off from the rest of the world forever...