COVID-19 Hypocrisy from Beijing
1/ Today, we've all seen photos showing how people in #HongKong were forced to eat out on the streets in pouring rain because of the new anti-#Covid_19 measures, but do you know that the ROOT CAUSE of the problem may go far beyond HK and #CarrieLam's incompetent govt'?
2/ (h/t: this thread is inspired by a story run by the @NextMagazineHK) The total tally of confirmed cases in #HongKong surpassed 3,000 today. QUARANTINE EXEMPTION for maritime workers may be to blame for this new and sustained wave of infections.
3/ According to a Seatrade Maritime News article dated Jun 09, the Hong Kong Shipowners' Association (@hksoa_org), whose patrons include the former CE Tung Chee-hwa, successfully lobbied the government to allow unrestricted crew changes in #HongKong.
4/ The #HKSAR government's decision is very likely linked to an announcement by the Chinese authorities made in April which literally banned international ship crew from landing in any Chinese ports.
5/ During the enforcement of entry bans for international seafarers, the Chinese official figures indicated that port business in #China has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels in late May. So, the question arises: where can crew changes take place?
6/ The resuming of maritime traffic in China in late May seemed to coincide with the HKSOA's request in early June to exempt crew members from compulsory quarantine. 3 weeks later, the dreaded 3rd wave emerged in HK on Jul 05 when a cook in a local restaurant was tested positive.
"A Post review of data from the Centre for Health Protection revealed that of 111 imported #Covid_19 cases since July 8, 34 are members of sea or aircrew. This represented 30 per cent of the city's imported total." (Source)
7/ New anti-pandemic measures are indeed needed to curb the new wave, but it appears that ordinary #HongKong citizens are being punished for a decision through no fault of their own.