HK's Special Treatment for Unvaccinated Mainlanders Draws Ire

Lee says China is the safest in the world from Covid-19

Yesterday Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu dropped a bombshell during his media briefing.

He admitted mainlanders who were not vaccinated were coming into Hong Kong, but that they weren't the cause of infections.

What?

How can they not be the cause of infections and why are they even being allowed in in the first place when Hong Kong has mandated that all travellers to the city must be vaccinated? Even going out to eat in a restaurant people soon need to be triple jabbed.

Unvaxxed mainlanders come to HK

Why is there a different set of rules for mainlanders when Hongkongers don't get a break going into China?

Lee's explanation? China infection rate is the lowest in the world.

Quite shocking he believes in the numbers...

After the uproar, Dr Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, co-chair of the Hong Kong Medical Association's advisory committee on communicable diseases said the government should stop allowing unvaccinated visitors from the mainland and Macau from coming in.

"The impression is not very good. It makes people think there's different treatment. We are not talking about anyone from any places or countries. We are talking about a set of rules in Hong Kong that are applicable to everyone," he said.

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun echoed Tsang's comments.

"For many Hong Kong people, they will soon have to be triple-jabbed to have a 'blue health code'. Today, many of them cannot go to regulated premises if they are not double-jabbed. You cannot expect them to accept some people arriving from the mainland can have a 'blue code' without having a single jab. It's about the impression," he said.

Tien also said although people travelling from the mainland are very unlikely to be carrying Covid when they arrive into Hong Kong, they can still get infected while in the city and spread the virus further.

More elderly HKers need to be inoculated

Did no one warn Lee what came out of his mouth would leave a really bad impression and further expose the government's ignorance when it comes to Covid-19?

The authorities are so focused on punishing locals for any kind of Covid-19 infraction, that they turn a blind eye when it comes to mainland visitors. 

How about getting more elderly people vaccinated so that the city can fully open up?

The Lee administration's credibility has plunged even further now (not that it was high to start with).

Was this policy all along since the beginning of the pandemic?