Wear Dog Collar, Can Protest in HK

Police stipulate no masks and wear numbered tags to protest

To hold a protest in Hong Kong in a post-national security law environment is getting harder and more outrageous.

A group of homeowners in Tseung Kwan O want to hold a rally protesting the proposed reclamation for building "obnoxious facilities", such as garbage collection stations.

While the group did get the green light from the police to hold the protest, they need to meet some requirements -- not to wear masks, but wear tags around their necks to "prevent criminals from mixing".

The days of mass protests are over in Hong Kong

Bad elements are going to hijacks a protest about refuse collection stations?

First the authorities think this protest is going to get out of hand and wants to be able to identify everyone for filming purposes;

Not only that, the protesters need to wear number tags around their necks like animals to certify they are legitimate rabble rousers. 

Oh and don't violate the national security law -- even though it's not clearly spelled out.

If the protest goes ahead on Sunday it will be the first since the government lifted all Covid-19 restrictions including social distancing and the mask mandate.

About 100 people are expected at the upcoming protest, with the stipulation that no one can join half way through. The unusual restrictions are particularly stringent for organiser Cyrus Chan Chin-chun.

"If you ask me whether or not I like those terms, the answer must be negative," Chan said. "There is nothing else I can do but fulfil such requests."

Police claim bad elements will join protests...

Earlier this month the Hong Kong Women Workers' Association had permission to hold a march to mark International Women's Day, but it was suddenly cancelled and the rights group didn't explain why.

After the march was called off, the police said they had intelligence that many people, including violent gangs would attend the march.

In addition, League of Social Democrats said four of its members who were going to join the rally were warned by national security police not to go, a day before the organisers cancelled the protest march.

If Sunday's protest does go ahead it could become the template for future marches... where the brave willing to stick out their necks with dog collars will shout a few slogans, hoping they don't violate national security and then go home hoping for the best.

Imagine trying to enforce these protest rules on people in France or Israel, the United Kingdom or the United States?

But this is sadly Hong Kong's new reality. 

Hong Kong Finally Goes Maskless

Some people continued wearing masks out of caution today

After some 950 days, the mask mandate was FINALLY lifted in Hong Kong much to the delight of the residents who have endured wearing face coverings in over 30-degree weather, while exercising, while at weddings, funerals, amusement parks.

And dealing with the fear or harassment of the police gleefully handing out HK$5,000 fines to people who weren't wearing them properly or were caught smoking.

But in reality many today still wore a mask going to work or school, unable to shake the routine, or still wanted to err on the side of caution.

Why not get rid of masks with campaign launch?

The fact that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu suddenly announced the end of wearing masks just days before March 1 shows how the government didn't think things through -- why not have masks off for the start of the "Hello Hong Kong" campaign? Surely that would have been even more effective in enticing people to come back to the city? 

Even health experts were frustrated that there was no more science to justify having to wear masks outside in particular. Then suddenly poof! Masks are allowed off and people are reticent to do so.

Young children have been hit hardest by the mask mandate. They have been forced to wear face coverings that were unnatural to them (and could not understand why), but now they are so used to wearing them that it will take a while to get them to feel more comfortable to take them off.

Children will take time to adjust to no masks

Educators are concerned these young children have had their learning hampered by mask-wearing for three years. Pupils are unable to pronounce words properly as they cannot see their teachers' mouth movements and imitate them.

The pandemic may have also changed how people interact with others from handshakes to hygiene habits. In Canada it seems the handshake is pretty much back, though some are still anxious about reaching for someone's hand, others grateful to have human contact again.

In the meantime Hong Kong may see a spike in Covid-19 cases now that masks are officially off, but most of the population has herd immunity from vaccinations or from infections. 

What other momentous occasion happened today? The closing of Penny's Bay Community Isolation Facility!

It was opened by the Security Bureau, which made it apt that Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip "closed" the massive facility with a symbolic "lock" made of cardboard.

Cheuk with the "lock" on Penny's Bay

What is going to happen to all those shipping containers converted into mini cells for people who had mild symptoms or were close contacts of infected patients and had to wait it out here?

Is this place going to be yet another white elephant left to collect dust? There were talks of possibly making them into low-cost housing, but in terms of logistics it would be a no-go. What a waste of taxpayer money to build these facilities that were not really used but built to show Hong Kong's determination to fight the virus...

Mask Debate Continues in HK

Hongkongers continue to wear masks until at least March 8

Hong Kong is probably the only place on Earth where there is still a mask mandate in place.

China dropped its mandate when it went to zero-Covid, and today Macau has dropped its policy of wearing masks outside, unless visiting a hospital or taking public transport.

The Hong Kong government has extended the mask mandate until at least March 8, which means people attending the upcoming Clockenflap music festival March 3-5 must wear masks while enjoying live music outside...

Sridhar advises doing away with masks now

Hardly makes Hong Kong appealing, even if it brands itself as "Happy Hong Kong" in a bid to entice more visitors to the city.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has suggested that the mask mandate could be dropped by the "end of the season", which means the end of the financial year, (March 31).

However, Dr Siddharth Sridhar, a clinical assistant professor in microbiology at the University of Hong Kong said the city could scrap the mask mandate anytime, since the population had a high level of hybrid immunity.

"Mask-wearing could not fully prevent a Covid outbreak, as we can see from the fifth pandemic wave last year," he said. "As to preventing influenza, we have never relied on a mask mandate either."

Sridhar also argued an outbreak of influenza was inevitable regardless of when Hong Kong lifted the mask mandate, as the population had low immunity levels.

Nevertheless he did advise people to wear masks in public transportation and crowded indoor areas.

Lo claims masks prevent people from smoking

The fact that Hong Kong is still debating this issue shows there is no straight-forward exit plan -- that the government hadn't even considered lifting the mask mandate and would rather people keep wearing them.

Like Secretary for Health Dr Lo Chung-mau, who suggests the smoking population has decreased because of the necessity of wearing masks in public places.

"Over the last three years, the masks have helped us not only by controlling Covid-19, but also in reducing the number of smokers," he said.

How does that even make sense?

The government echoes his sentiment in this FAQ about wearing masks in public:

"Smokers are more likely to touch their mask and face with their hands during smoking, leading to increased chance of infection. Besides, smoking damages lungs and weakens immunity. Smokers who have contracted Covid-19 are more likely to develop severe complications. We appeal to members of the public to avoid smoking in public places, and to quit smoking whenever possible."

What a reason to quit smoking -- I couldn't light up cause I had to wear a mask outside.

Hong Kong's Hello Half-Baked

Lim was long on giveaways and short on free ticket details

This morning the Hong Kong Tourism Board director for Canada, Central and South Americas Michael Lim talked to the CBC Vancouver morning show about the "Hello Hong Kong" campaign.

He seemed to read out the endless list of giveaways from restaurant vouchers to welcome drinks and even transportation, as well as some of the new tourist spots to check out.

When the host asked how many tickets would be given out and when, Lim replied it was not clear yet but details would be coming soon.

Campaign not enough to lure visitors to the city

If you launch a global campaign and want to promote it, surely you need to know all the details? It sounds half-baked.

And then when he was challenged about how how Hong Kong has changed so much in the last few years, with its rights and freedoms seriously eroded, how would visitors see the city now, Lim completely ignored it and went on about how much it has to offer. 

Lucky for him the interview was short, but it would have been more interesting to grill him further about the authorities suddenly letting go of strict Covid-19 policies, and how come masks are still mandatory?

Or how about the campaign coincides with the trial of 47 pro-democracy activists and lawmakers that will last for 90 days?

But really, when Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled this massive extravaganza, all everyone wants to know is how they can sign up for a chance to win free airline tickets.

Gotta keep those masks on. All the time.

It's interesting that Hong Kong is keen to invite tourists from Southeast Asia first, from March 1 -- why not earlier? Followed by Mainland China in April, northeast Asia and all other markets in May. What's also bizarre is outbound tickets from Hong Kong will also be given away. 

Tourism officials claimed it was a way for Hongkongers to spread the word about their hometown being open for business... 

Meanwhile looking at the HKTB website, users are greeted with two warnings:

The first invites people to come visit -- including from Taiwan -- without quarantine, isolation or even vaccination requirements, and the second is a friendly reminder that CBD or cannabidiol is a "dangerous drug in Hong Kong".

However despite claiming all pandemic restrictions are gone, the mask mandate is still there, but there is no friendly reminder that masks are mandatory. Guess you find that out when you get there...

Dr Yuen Calls for Independent Inquiry into Handling Covid-19

How well did Hong Kong handle the Covid-19 pandemic? 

Infectious diseases professor Yuen Kwok-yung is calling for an independent inquiry into Hong Kong's handling of Covid-19 so that the city can better prepare the next time another pandemic comes around.

During a radio program, Yuen explained that after the 2003 SARS outbreak (20 years ago this March!), an inquiry was held, which led to the establishment of the Centre for Health Protection. 

Yuen and his duck mask that made him endearing

The centre has since put more resources into research and this helped to fight against Covid, he said.

Yuen said there was definitely room for improvement in contact-tracing and isolation arrangements during the current pandemic.

"We saw 12,000 to 13,000 deaths. Why don't we conduct a thorough investigation and clarify what we should do in the future? Speaking for myself, if I'm lucky, as an infectious disease expert, I might see a third pandemic during my lifetime. Hong Kong must be prepared for it."

Does Yuen realise the political implications of calling for an independent inquiry and where it will go? If the government agrees to it -- and that's a big IF -- the scope would probably be so limited to ensure the authorities look good.

An independent inquiry is definitely needed -- not only in the medical handling of this pandemic that led to one of the highest death rates in the world, but also the cost from the financial handouts, to the construction of those isolation units that are now collecting dust all over the city.

Hospitals overwhelmed with infected elderlies

How many of those pandemic kits were handed out, that had N95 masks, rapid antigen tests and that Chinese herbal medicine Lianghua Qingwen? How much did that cost? And the PCR tests conducted in the community testing centres. How many vials of vaccines were wasted?

The inquiry could also give insight into the communications between the infectious disease experts like Yuen and the government, and possibly hints if Beijing played a role in Hong Kong shaping its Covid policy.

We await to see the response...

In the meantime, Yuen is suggesting that masks come off at the end of March when the weather gets warmer and the virus has a shorter life cycle.

He warned there could be another surge of Covid-19 and other respiratory disease infections after people take off their masks, but says this is an inevitable part of opening up.

Get boosted in October, November says Yuen

"Once we take off our masks, the situation may get quite serious. But we have already said in February and March 2020 that this virus will stay with us... We have to open up sooner or later, and it's better to open up sooner after enough people are vaccinated," he said.

Yuen said people should get another Covid booster by October and November to prepare for a possible rebound in the winter.

Ah, it's never ending...

BC Reactivates Emergency Hospital Operations Centres

20 hospital emergency operations centres will reopen Jan 9

With the concern of rising cases of not only Covid-19, flu and respiratory illness, British Columbia is reactivating 20 hospital emergency operations centres from January 9.

BC Health Minster Adrian Dix said demand for hospital care is high -- more than 10,000 people were in acute care in the province as of Thursday, a six percent increase from New Year's Eve.

Patients with Covid-19, respiratory synctial virus (RSV) and influenza are in hospital, according to Dix.

When it comes to Covid-19, there are between 300 to 400 cases in hospital in BC.

Dix sees hospitalisation numbers rising

He believes the cases are rising after the Christmas holidays after many people gathered for the first time in three years, and expects the next six weeks to be "really busy".

The emergency operations centres will be in operation for at least six weeks and then review the situation in terms of hospital bed availability, and figure out ways to ease emergency department congestion.

However, health officials are stopping short of calling for mask mandates, which has frustrated some health workers who believe mask-wearing should be strongly recommended particularly in indoor spaces that are crowded.

Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry only advised people to get vaccinated and to wear masks when appropriate.

"If I'm the only one on the bus and the windows are open, and I'm feeling perfectly fine, then no, I probably wouldn't," she said in a radio interview earlier this week on CBC Radio Vancouver.

Henry stops short of strongly advising masking

"If the bus is crowded, or somebody at home is sick, or I'm finished at the end of a cold, and I'm no longer infectious, I wear a mask."

This is hardly helpful advice, further muddying the waters of what people should do to protect themselves. 

One would think with the rising number of hospitalisations and now the plan to reactivate hospital emergency operations centres that Henry would strongly recommend wearing masks.

Her lack lackadaisical attitude towards Covid-19 is baffling and the results are going to lead to more hospitalisations because her advice is not clear. 

While there are a few more people wearing masks out and about, it's not enough to prevent the majority from catching Covid, RSV or influenza...

Protests Spread in China

Protesters calling for freedom following the Urumqi deaths

Protests have erupted in several cities in China following the deaths of at least 10 people in a fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Video footage shows firefighters unable to get close to the fire because of Covid lockdowns, the water hose missing the fire by a metre or two.

The news hit people hard -- the tragedy may have put them over the edge with the accumulation of the endless lockdowns, being sealed in their homes, not enough food to eat, no access to medicine, the endless testing and mask-wearing.

People mourn at least 10 people died in Urumqi

So people spilled out onto the streets in Urumqi, Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai to mourn the dead, and the protests became more political, some people daring to call for President Xi Jinping to step down, and for democracy and human rights.

In a move reminiscent to the Hong Kong protests after the national security law was implemented, some protesters held up blank sheets of paper as having slogans on them would have been deemed illegal, people in China followed, also holding up blank pieces of paper.

Instead they shouted slogans like this:

"Give me liberty, or give me death!"

"We want to mourn our people, we want to mourn our citizens"

"Tear down the Great Firewall!"

"We want freedom, we want human rights!"

Protesters hold up blank paper like in HK

"Down with the Party! Down with Xi Jinping! Free Xinjiang!"

One young woman said: "If my fear of being blackened makes me fear the act of speaking out, I think of how much a disappointment I am. As a student of Tsinghua University, I will regret the cowardice for the rest of my life."

In a bid to prevent being shut down by the police, protesters would sing the Chinese national anthem. But there were protests shut down by the police, with some protesters arrested. 

In Shanghai, BBC journalist Edward Lawrence was filmed being beaten and arrested by the police. He was later released, but the reason for the initial arrest? The authorities said it was for his own good in case he caught Covid-19 from the crowd of protesters. 

BBC said: "We do not consider this a credible explanation."

Indeed.

Pro-Beijing supporters claimed Lawrence was proof that foreign forces were involved in the protests... 

How will Xi resolve these domestic protests?

Nevertheless, what is happening in China is extraordinary in terms of the scale and the demands people have.

But sadly nothing will come out of it -- there may be further lockdowns or the government may turn protesters' health codes red to prevent them from going out and gathering, or creating new laws. In some ways the protests echo what was happening in Hong Kong over three years ago, and one may expect the Chinese authoritarian response to be very similar.

However, today's young Chinese are savvy and may not be forced into submission so easily. They are going to find ways to circumvent control.

Xi has painted himself into a corner as China experts have predicted -- the economy is faltering, people are mentally exhausted and depressed, they are tired of zero-Covid and seeing the rest of the world open up and questioning why not them?

State media have even gone to great lengths not to show World Cup footage of maskless fans in the stands -- instead they focus on the players and the coach, otherwise very far views of the stadium. But it's too late. Everyone knows what's really happening outside of China.

How long will the frustration boil over and will it escalate? So far it has been relatively peaceful, but for how much longer...

Zero-Covid Protests Erupt in China

Police in hazmat suits beat protesting workers in Zhengzhou

There are tremors that are becoming more agitated in the Middle Kingdom thanks to Xi Jinping's insistence on zero-Covid.

In the last two days videos have been posted on Twitter showing workers at a Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, Henan province. There are scenes of them armed with metal sticks clashing with "dabai" or police in white hazmat suits with riot shields, and the workers are for the most part holding the line.

The workers are protesting the working conditions and pay in the biggest factory that makes iPhones.

Foxconn workers protesting pay and conditions

Last month there was the threat of a lockdown in the factory because of a Covid-19 infection and many workers fled with suitcases, literally walking hundreds of kilometres to get home. They could not take public transport because their phones would have a warning of a possible infection.

The Taiwanese factory then tried to hire more workers, but apparently the new ones found their pay was changed when they got there. One worker, Li Sanshan said he was lured by 25,000 yuan (US$3,500) for two months' of work. But when he got to the factory, he found out they would have to work an additional two months to get the 25,000 yuan.

"Foxconn released very tempting recruiting offers, and workers from all parts of the country came, only to find they were made fools of," Li said.

The company claimed it was a "technical error" and offered an apology. But Foxconn is now struggling to fill iPhone14 orders.

Chinese shocked to see maskless football fans

Meanwhile the World Cup has kicked off in Qatar, and despite its reprehensible treatment of migrant workers, banning homosexual acts and sexist treatment of women, it has allowed the thousands of football fans in the stadiums to watch the matches without masks.

When the Chinese turned on their televisions or phones to watch the matches, they were shocked -- shocked -- to see no one masked up.

"Some people are watching World Cup matches in person with no masks, some have been locked at home for a month, locked on campus for two months without even being able to step out the door," a Guangdong-based user on Weibo wrote on Wednesday.

"Who has stolen my life? I won't say."

Another Weibo user from Shaanxi province said they were "disappointed" in their country.

Chinese wonder if China on same planet as Qatar

"The World Cup has allowed most Chinese people to see the real situation abroad, and worry about the economy of the motherland, and their own youth," the user wrote.

Another questioned China's zero-Covid policy and if China was "on the same planet" as Qatar on the Weibo platform before it was censored. 

The World Cup matches are broadcast on state broadcaster CCTV, which also gives a lot of negative information about the rest of the world, claiming they are struggling with the virus. 

Now the Chinese feel like they are made fools of too...

East Versus West in Dealing with Covid-19

Everyone must wear a mask outside in Hong Kong

Big news in Hong Kong -- anyone arriving in the city from November 21 will only have to do 10 Covid-19 tests instead of 12!

Currently they need to do eight rapid antigen tests (RAT) and four polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but now they can do two less PCR tests. Whoo hoo!

The government says 82 percent of infected arrivals were detected through the first two PCR tests, and only 0.4 and 0.1 percent of infections were found in later tests.

Arrival passengers have 2 less PCR tests to take

Are two fewer tests going to entice more people to come to Hong Kong? Hardly.

But mask mandates are still in force and enforced as soon as you step out of your home. Everywhere from the MTR and bus to shopping malls, supermarkets, and concerts, people must wear masks unless you're eating in a restaurant or eatery, or having a drink.

Children wear masks in the classroom, and need to decipher what the teacher is saying from behind his or her mask. For some young children, wearing a mask is all they know. 

Meanwhile in British Columbia, the provincial health authority stopped short of calling for a mask mandate, despite the rising number of children with respiratory illnesses and hospitals' capacities to the brink.

"I don't believe we need that heavy hand of a mandate," said Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry. "I don't see the need for a mask mandate by itself because we have many other tools and a high level of protection."

Henry stops short of calling for a mask mandate

She said mask mandates were in place before because Covid-19 vaccines weren't available for children, and people were getting sick from gathering.

"In that context, masks were important and necessary. We are in a different situation now. We have a very high level of immunity. We have vaccines. We have treatments for influenza, for Covid-19, for RSV," she said.

But only 50 percent of children have had a first Covid-19 jab. 

RSV is respiratory synctial virus that causes infections in the lungs and respiratory tract.

Some parents, teachers and doctors are calling for a mask mandate or at least mandatory masking in indoor places, but Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix refuse to call for this, only encouraging people to wear masks in settings where it makes sense -- on transit, in crowds, and when sick -- masks are mandatory when in hospitals and long-term care homes.

What's wrong with "strongly recommend"? People may have Covid fatigue, but Covid isn't tired of us, as one health professional in Ontario said last week.

People won't take masking seriously in BC

The more people mask up, then fewer will end up in hospital and fewer healthcare workers will be overwhelmed and sick too.

But not even saying "strongly recommend" makes it hard for people to take masking seriously. No wonder this pandemic will never end... Hong Kong on the one hand is extreme in its Covid-19 regulations, and British Columbia is too lax on the other. 

In general there is a slight increase in people wearing masks in Vancouver, but not enough...

Frustration Boils Over HK Govt's Covid-19 Restrictions

Everyone wearing a mask while crossing the street in Central

After seeing the rest of the world open up and resume their lives post-Covid-19, Hongkongers are agitating for some semblance of normalcy too.

A recent survey has found 70 percent of Hong Kong residents believe the government should further relax Covid-19 curbs, while about half are against having a vaccine pass for children aged five to 11.

Interest in getting vaccinated has dropped off

The survey was conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong between September 29 and October 14, interviewing 705 residents above the age of 18.

While it's a tiny data set, it does give a good indication of how people feel about Hong Kong being in a state of limbo. People must wear masks once they walk out of their homes, scan the dreaded LeaveHomeSafe app anywhere they go, and are constantly told to get vaccinated.

Here are the highlights of the survey:

38.5 percent of respondents were infected with Covid-19 this year;

52 percent said they had never contracted the virus;

62 percent said they were not worried about being infected;

68.9 percent believe the government should relax anti-pandemic curbs, while 10 percent prefer the measures to stay;

Less than 5 percent support further tightening the rules;

Respondents tired of scanning QR codes 

49 percent do not support the government's move to extend coverage of the vaccine pass to children aged five to 11;

56 percent are against forced mandatory vaccination on elderly people in care homes.

Many people complain about the effectiveness of the LeaveHomeSafe app, while others have said they traveled abroad without wearing a mask and didn't get infected -- so they are frustrated having to mask up when they are back in Hong Kong. 

Here in Vancouver there is a slight increase in people wearing masks, not quite half, but they are young and elderly, concerned about the Omicron variant that is spreading here now. They are wearing masks mostly on public transit and in enclosed areas like libraries and shops.

It's an informed choice people can make rather than it being forced on them -- British Columbia health officials feel they can only strongly advise people to wear masks in indoor spaces because a mask mandate will only cause more resistance to comply.

However across the Pacific in Hong Kong, everyone is forced to be compliant which only makes them grumble even more -- behind their masks!

Paul Chan Claims No Special Treatment

Look who's back... and ignoring all protocols for returnees

One country, two systems continues robustly in Hong Kong when it comes to its treatment of Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po.

He contracted Covid-19 while in Saudi Arabia, but somehow tested negative on Monday and returned to Hong Kong on Tuesday -- and the Centre for Health Protection did not declare his PCR test on arrival was negative. 

Instead the CHP claimed he was a "recovered case" and waived from doing any quarantine. 

Ho slammed the government for zero consistency

Where did he go? Straight to the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit where he addressed the crowd without a mask.

The media was on Chan's case, but claimed he was not handled differently from others at the airport:

"The treatment I have been given was the same as anyone. There's no particular privilege at all," he said, adding he went through Hong Kong's usual pre- and post-flight checks.

Such a high profile case that the CHP didn't seem to scrutinise close enough...

He was in a room full of people and even though he didn't eat with them, he spoke to them maskless!

Ho Pak-leung, the city's leading microbiologist from the University of Hong Kong, slammed the government regarding Chan's case as "failing to comply with a unified standard."

Is Chan's vaccine pass amber? It should be...

"Besides, some unnecessary screening measures towards new arrivals will hinder the process for society to return," he added.

Ho said it was inevitable for the city to soon scrap all entry curbs and go to "0+0", and that the amber health code on the Vaccine pass should be scrapped as well.

This hypocrisy will continue post national security law, where elites can do as they please, while the plebeians are severely punished for any minor infraction.

If there is a wave of Covid-19 cases from bankers in the next few days, we know where it came from...

HK's Contradictory Covid Messaging

Lee (middle) says masks must still be worn outdoors

While Hong Kong has gone down to "0+3" in terms of quarantine, and 12 to a table and people can meet in groups of 12 in public, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu still insists that the mask mandate must continue outdoors.

In an RTHK phone-in show, Lee claimed the reason was to protect the vulnerable, in other words the elderly and children.

A bar is raided by police, checking Covid-19 app

Hello... it's OUTSIDE.

He added when the vaccination rate for children goes up then perhaps they would revisit the mask mandate, but until then, everyone needs to mask up.

"One thing that has been agreed by all the experts that I have come across, whether they are subscribing to their own school of thought... then there is a very general agreement that mask-wearing should continue," Lee said.

Meanwhile the Hong Kong police continue to raid bars with live performers, shutting down acts by forcing everyone to produce their LeaveHomeSafe app and their HKID. 

Talk about killing the mood -- no one dares say a word in case the police decide to fine someone for not being cooperative.

And Lee thinks people want to come back to Hong Kong to visit, or even move back there?

If test positive, bankers can flee by jet or yacht

Meanwhile bankers who attend next month's finance summit in Hong Kong are exempt from being restricted from going to bars and restaurants for three days in order to attend conferences and meet clients, though the visiting bankers must still conduct the battery of RAT and PCR tests.

However, if they do test positive, they won't be forced to isolate until they get better, but instead can leave the city via private jet or yacht -- if they did not fly into Hong Kong on commercial flights.

It has now become one city, two systems.

How is this fair to residents? Is this finance summit really going to jump start the economy?

And these finance types are complicit in presenting the image that Hong Kong is open for business.

But the reality could not be further from the truth...

The Last Mahjong Tile Maker to Close

Cheung hopes to continue making mah jong tiles by hand

Another one bites the dust.

The last shop to make mahjong tiles by hand will be closing at the end of this month after receiving an eviction notice from the Buildings Department.

The letter dated from September says Biu Kee Mahjong on 26 Jordan Road will be removed because the store is identified as an authorised building work due to it being located at the foot of the building's staircase.

He is the last tile maker in Hong Kong

In other words, Hong Kong has no interest in preserving its local culture.

Biu Kee's owner, Cheung Shun-king, known as "Uncle King" is still interested in making the mahjong tiles by hand until he gets too old, according to a Facebook post.

The post also says, "We sincerely hope the related government departments can deal with the situation in order to keep Biu Kee Mahjong in its current location and to allow the traditional art form of hand-carved mahjong tiles to be passed on."

Will anyone in authority listen to this earnest plea?

But when the government isn't interested in stepping in to save the Star Ferry which is teetering on the brink, nor giving more breaks to Hong Kong Tramways to keep the tram moving, you have to wonder how the Hong Kong Tourism Board has anything left to promote when old shops, businesses and services that have been around for decades or even over a century are left to die a long, slow death.

He uses traditional tools to carve tiles

Instead the authorities choose to waste taxpayer money on white elephant projects like the hundreds of quarantine units near Disneyland and Kai Tak, and pandemic supplies and vaccines that aren't being used, former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's cloth masks (remember those?) And those boxes of Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen that have been totally discredited by Singaporean health authorities...

Canada Removes Covid-19 Border Hurdles

From October 1, no more Covid tests, quarantines or masks

After a lot of grumbling with Covid-19 protocols resulting in many American tourists and day trippers staying away, the Canadian government announced this morning that as of October 1, anyone, vaccinated or not can come into the country, are not mandated to wear masks on planes, trains and cruise ships, no more random arrival testing, or even the need to show proof of vaccination.

ArriveCan app will be optional

There is also no need to quarantine or use the ArriveCAN app. The latter was what American visitors grumbled about, particularly those who came for the day, unwilling to fill out the tedious online form on their phones, while others found their app was malfunctioning and told them to self-isolate when they were not infected.

While people are rejoicing and deleting the ArriveCAN app, epidemiologists fear that they are losing crucial information when people are not tested on arrival. They say it's important to know what variants are coming in and from where. When wastewater is tested, it is already too late -- at least when someone is tested upon entering Canada, health experts can be made aware of the situation and react quickly and effectively.

Interestingly, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Monday's decision was not a sign Canada is out of the pandemic, but that the government's data showed the importation of new variants was no longer having an effect on the evolution of the virus in the country.

Duclos says the pandemic isn't over yet

"If anybody believes the pandemic is over, I invite them to visit a hospital," he said.

"That decision again was driven by the evidence that we have seen over the last few weeks and months, which is that the transmission and cost of transmission of Covid-19 on our healthcare workers, hospitals and including those patients who have seen backlogs in their surgeries and treatments over the last two years and a half... are now almost entirely driven by domestic transmission of Covid-19. That's where we need to invest our energy."

However, while masks will no longer be mandatory, Dr Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy chief health officer, said he still recommends people wear masks on planes and trains.

"The science is clear -- wearing a mask is clearly a means of personal protection that is extremely effective," he said.

Njoo advises people to continue to wear masks

"I hope Canadians will make an enlightened decision about this."

The other issue is that the ArriveCAN app is now optional, but it doesn't mean a border agent will not ask to see it, which makes it confusing at best.

Today some people were still wearing masks on public transport, though the majority chose not to. People seem to have moved on from Covid-19 and don't have the same concerns they had two years ago. Others are still masked up and even wearing gloves. 

It's all relative... and will continue to be.

Only China Terrified of Covid-19

The Queen made her final journey to Windsor Castle

Queen Elizabeth II was finally laid to rest today, but not before a funeral full of tradition, ceremony and meaning.

Numerous heads of state were invited, and the only person wearing a mask at Westminster Abbey was Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan -- complete with a Chinese flag on it for branding purposes.

It was also a metaphor for how much China is an outlier compared to the rest of the world when it comes to Covid-19.

Wang (centre) wearing a mask at the funeral

And people within the country are angry after a bus in Guiyang, Guizhou province, carrying people who tested positive, was involved in a motor vehicle accident, killing 27 of those passengers and injuring 20. on Sunday. 

They were being bussed at 2am to a remote quarantine centre 260km from Guiyang, the capital.

It wasn't Covid that killed them, but an accident.

CNN even pointed out a picture of someone in a hazmat suit spraying the crumpled heap that was the bus with disinfectant afterwards.

Guiyang vice-mayor Lin Gang apologised on Sunday night, but did not elaborate on the government's role in the crash, or what the apology was for.

Instead he said the government would "inspect safety risks in transporting people to quarantine" as well as investigate the cause of the incident.

The crushed bus that left 27 passengers dead

But the apology and the suspension of three officials was not enough to quell the anger fomenting online. There were more than 69,000 comments on social media after 24 hours of the crash, and related topics on Weibo were viewed more than 400 million times.

The level of social media engagement is similar to when Dr Li Wenliang, the doctor who warned about Covid-19, died in February 2020.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, things are starting to look up. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu suggested the city should have an "orderly" approach to opening up, and there were indications hotel quarantine will end soon, but people arriving will have to self-monitor at home for seven days.

"I'm conscious of the fact that while we need to control the spread of Covid, we also need to ensure that there will be maximum activities... and economic activities for society to carry on," Lee said.

Lee strongly hints hotel quarantine over soon

"I am also conscious of the need to maintain Hong Kong's competitiveness by ensuring that we have good connectivity."

Finally Lee's pleas are being heard by Beijing, after several major sporting events were cancelled. 

The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon was cancelled for November 20 but now organisers have announced it will be held in February, though no word on how many can participate.

Covid-19 has taken a terrible toll on Hong Kong's economy, with financial secretary Paul Chan Mo Po projecting a potential budget deficit of more than HK$100 billion (US$12.7 billion). All that taxpayer money going down the drain all for "dynamic zero-Covid"...