The city saw early success with its zero Covid policy, but Omicron has brought it to its knees.
The scene was grim at Caritas Medical Centre last week.
Hong Kong was a poster child of pandemic control success in the past two years. By the end of 2021, the city of 7.5 million had recorded only 12,650 cases and fewer than 220 deaths. But health authorities are still insisting that people who test positive with no or mild symptoms isolate in quarantine facilities, which are quickly filling up.
Dr Sridhar said that if Hong Kong cannot change its policy, then the government should at least improve support for patients who are self-isolating at home, ensuring that they have access to groceries, rapid tests and basic medicine. Hong Kong scored lowest in vaccine acceptance and effectiveness compared to five other territories, including Singapore, UK and the US, in a study conducted by the City University of Hong Kong last May.
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