Hong Kong third wave: follow China in pandemic fight

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Hong Kong third wave: follow China in pandemic fight

Donald Trump wearing a suit and tie: US President Donald Trump catches a ball while hosting youth baseball players at the White House on July 23. While the US government has focused on political games, China has taken the Covid-19 pandemic seriously and brought it under control. Photo: Reuters

US President Donald Trump catches a ball while hosting youth baseball players at the White House on July 23. While the US government has focused on political games, China has taken the Covid-19 pandemic seriously and brought it under control. Photo: Reuters

Rishi Teckchandani’s call on how lives matter more than the economy should sound as loud as a gong during this Covid-19 crisis for Hong Kong (“Coronavirus: save lives first, then worry about the economy“, July 25). However, it is not just “millionaires and billionaires” who are affected; many low-budget cafes and diners are struggling to survive during this long, dreadful pandemic. We see no light at the end of this long tunnel, faced as we are with distressing news and rising numbers of infections and deaths every day.

How did mainland China get the pandemic under control so quickly? One reason is its authoritarian approach. Civilians were encouraged to monitor each other, and the authorities made sure to seal those people under quarantine in their homes.

Armed with an abundance of masks, medical resources and resolute community spirit, China successfully contained the spread of the virus, and is now acting swiftly in cities where it has reappeared. The rebound in China’s economy has also been rapid, as shown in its manufacturing data and share prices.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

Meanwhile, in the US, Covid-19 is still going strong ” as an egotistical nation displays no apparent scientific approach, with a pretentious president whose promised vaccine is still months away and whose re-election prospects are fading fast.

Had US President Donald Trump shown a little humanity and acknowledged science is not his speciality earlier in this ordeal, the stock market would have reached a historic high months ago and he would have been looking at a second term in November.

Edmond Pang, Fanling

Social distancing rules raise a few questions

I went to Cheung Chau last Wednesday morning. Aboard the ferry was what looked like a group of at least 15 students. The week before I went to Don Don Donki in Causeway Bay. Hundreds of people, if not more, shuffled round the store, barely inches from the person in front of them.

Hundreds of people are crushed together at peak times on the MTR with their faces inches from the next person. All this appears to be perfectly acceptable despite, in each case, there being groups considerably in excess of four.

When a group of protesters, all wearing masks, gathered to protest about the lack of information regarding last year’s Yuen Long incident, many of them were fined for breaking social distancing rules. This looks like a blatant misuse of those rules, as they are clearly being used for political reasons. Imposing the fines had nothing to do with protecting people’s health.

Andy Statham, Happy Valley

Volunteers book hotel room for homeless man with SingapoRediscovers vouchers

NewsColony Volunteers book hotel room for homeless man with SingapoRediscovers vouchers © The Independent Singapore Singapore — A group of volunteers from the Mummy Yummy Singapore welfare organisation donated their SingapoRediscovers Vouchers to book a hotel room for a homeless man. The man, who was identified as Jayden, did not have a place to live while waiting for the Housing Board (HDB) to allocate him a rental flat. In a Facebook post on Mummy Yummy Singapore’s page on Wednesday (Dec 16), the volunteers said: “We used our $100 Rediscover Singapore vouchers to redeem hotel stay for him and successfully booked 9 days worth of stay at 3 days per voucher.” They added that they were unable to book a longer stay because of higher hotel rates over Christmas and New Year. The volunteers hoped that they would be able to bridge Jayden’s stay until he got a flat. “Thanks our government for giving us these vouchers which in return we can put them to good use for people in need,” th...

Disabled people are still vulnerable, even as COVID-19 normalizes their ‘special’ needs

Disabled people are still vulnerable, even as COVID-19 normalizes their ‘special’ needs NewsColony Perhaps it’s appropriate that public notices of the COVID-19 crisis began as an ableist cruelty. Health officials assured the nation that only the elderly and those with chronic health conditions would be seriously affected; most Americans (i.e., the normal people) would have only mild symptoms and be fine. x A friendly reminder: people who will be high-risk patients if we get coronavirus can hear you when you reassure everyone we’re the only ones who might die. Ã¢Â€Â” Alexandra Brodsky (@azbrodsky) February 29, 2020 Soon after the announcement of those assurances, the likelihood of high-risk people surviving was further limited by the people more likely to be fine. Shopping frenzies cleared stores of essential supplies needed everyday by many disabled people, like thermometers, hand wipes, masks, and IV infusion supplies. Accustomed to their needs ...

17 gifts from Oprah’s Favorite Things you can get by Christmas

NewsColony 17 gifts from Oprah’s Favorite Things you can get by Christmas (CNN) — Oprah Winfrey has pretty impeccable taste, and this year, she’s gifted us once again with her Favorite Things list, available to shop via Amazon . We’ve gone through and pulled out some of our own favorite picks from the list, which features products for everyone on your holiday gift list at a range of prices. And while, obviously, it’s Oprah, so everything included is great, we especially love her picks from Black- and female-owned small businesses. Check out our top gift picks below, and browse all of Oprah’s Favorite Things on Amazon. Iconi Women’s Seamless High-Waisted Leggings ($45; amazon.com ) Iconi Women’s Seamless High-Waisted Leggings PHOTO: Amazon These comfortable leggings are designed to be everything you’ve always wanted in a pair: moisture-wicking, supportive and squatproof. Plus, they come in a ton of pretty heathered colors. “A Kids Book About…” ($15.96; amazon.c...

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