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Letters

I would like to express my clear disappointment with local legislators’ knee-jerk reaction to Singaporean ministers talking about “living with Covid”, which occupied much media space on Saturday.
I am sure our legislators have not tried to carefully glean information about the actual Covid-19 situation in Singapore.
First of all, social-distancing measures there right now are overall sterner than in Hong Kong. Second, the vaccination rate in Singapore is far higher – people who have received a first dose number nearly 70 per cent and those fully vaccinated are close to 40 per cent: thereby Singapore is confidently in a position to contemplate the vision of “living with Covid”.
The correct and serious response of Hong Kong would be to raise the vaccination rate to get close to the Singaporean figures, to enable Hong Kong to start thinking bigger. It is disappointing to read about a laggard Hong Kong hysterically criticising the better-performing Singapore’s bolder thinking.
Any social leader who doesn’t make increasing the local vaccination rate a prime call in media discussions on the pandemic certainly helps no one.
The even better vaccination figures in Britain enabled the Boris Johnson government to take a gamble. Only time will tell if Prime Minister Johnson’s move will trigger any catastrophe. But places with vaccination figures that do not remotely compare probably have no right to comment on the British move.




Despite Hong Kong’s vaccination figures being appreciably lower, Singapore has been proactive on discussing the Hong Kong travel bubble again, a sign that it values re-establishing travel connections with this city.
If Hong Kong doesn’t take heed, soon Singapore will be able to (gradually) open travel with countries having comparable vaccination rates, and start to downgrade Hong Kong’s importance. Again, it is essential for Hong Kong to raise the vaccination rate to gain confidence.
The no-brainer in any travel bubble with Singapore is both sides requiring quarantine-free travellers to be fully vaccinated. Tying vaccination to rights or privileges and making it a requirement is happening all over the world now.
France just announced everyone who works with the aged or people in fragile physical conditions must be vaccinated by mid-September. Why does Hong Kong still have to be scared by people in high-risk jobs bringing in the virus because they still haven’t been vaccinated? Is that fair to other residents of their housing blocks?
Singapore is with science on Covid: what about Hong Kong?
It is time for the government to openly question such people’s common sense or even morality. Why are the fully vaccinated here still wearing masks outdoors? Why are they still required to be conscientious about protecting those who keep dragging their feet?
Why are the vaccinated in Hong Kong still a significant minority? Why should they still be patient with the problematic majority?
Lee Tsz Yeung, Wan Chai


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Opinion


Hong Kong legislators raising concerns about Singaporean ministers advocating ‘living with Covid’ ignore the city state’s high vaccination rate and strong social distancing measures



Hong Kong legislators raising concerns about Singaporean ministers advocating ‘living with Covid’ ignore the city state’s high vaccination rate and strong social distancing measures.


.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Hong Kong legislators raising concerns about Singaporean ministers advocating ‘living with Covid’ ignore the city state’s high vaccination rate and strong social distancing measures

Hong Kong legislators raising concerns about Singaporean ministers advocating ‘living with Covid’ ignore the city state’s high vaccination rate and strong social distancing measures