‘Zero infections’ for Hong Kong a tough Covid-19 goal, but city keeps going with eye on easing mainland China border restrictions
- Current streak of 41 days without local infections a record, with three cases recently reclassified
- City keeps pandemic mostly under control, but needs to persuade Beijing to ease restrictions
Hong Kong has been aggressively pursuing the goal of zero Covid-19 infections as it seeks to ease travel restrictions with mainland China. The city closed all but three border checkpoints in February last year as part of pandemic measures.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Monday that she had submitted a report to Beijing on the city’s Covid-19 situation in the hope of reopening the border.
The mainland is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner, so restoring cross-border travel is considered a priority by city leaders looking to revive the economy.
Although the pandemic is largely under control in Hong Kong, insiders say the final decision on reopening the border rests with Beijing.
The Post unpacks what you need to know about Hong Kong’s epidemic situation and what it means for discussions on reopening the border with the mainland.
What does “zero infections” mean?
Unlike Israel and Singapore, which have described moving towards a new normal of “living with Covid-19”, Hong Kong has stuck to its zero-infections goal.