Post Reports How Hong Kong’s ‘zero covid’ policy backfired
Mar 15, 2022
Shibani Mahtani, The Post’s bureau chief in Hong Kong, sheds light on the drastic fallout from the city’s strict zero COVID policy. She discusses how this approach created complacency, leading to a staggering rise in deaths, especially among the elderly and unvaccinated. Mahtani also highlights the confusion and distrust stemming from inconsistent communication and political complexities. Furthermore, she explores the political consequences for leadership and the erosion of freedoms that have accompanied the pandemic response in Hong Kong.
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Early Success and Complacency
- Hong Kong was initially successful in containing COVID-19, sending supplies to other countries.
- This success masked the risk, leading to complacency and low vaccination rates among the elderly.
Zero-COVID Policy Backfires
- Hong Kong's zero-COVID policy created a false sense of security, reducing the urgency for vaccination.
- The elderly, particularly vulnerable to misinformation, became hesitant to get vaccinated.
Overreporting of Adverse Reactions
- While vaccination rates were high in younger demographics, they were low among the elderly.
- The government's overreporting of adverse reactions, even with tenuous links, fueled vaccine hesitancy.