Self-Reliance in Fighting Policy Loopholes during COVID-19 in Hong Kong

Abstract

Waves of COVID-19 introduced through imported cases have impeded Hong Kong in the areas of public health, the economy, and individual physical and emotional wellness, livelihood and social life. Increased public health awareness has encouraged the Hong Kong people to prevent transmission through basic methods such as wearing face masks, personal hygiene, social distancing and environmental hygiene. Although reactive, piece-meal measures were implemented (for example, limited border control, screening, surveillance and quarantines), policy loopholes fuelled these outbreaks, showing not only the government to be dysfunctional but also penalising self-disciplined Hong Kong people, actually victims in this plight, due to the loose administration, in the sense of daily life, livelihood and civic rights. The antipathy between the public and the government increased the tension between the powerless and the powerful, driving the Hong Kong people towards greater self-reliance, showing their effectiveness, efficiency, flexibility and adaptability in combating this pandemic crisis. Although intertwining of self-protection and mutuality is cogent in this public health predicament due to distrust of the present failed leadership, anti-pandemic burnout has become a critical challenge and also threatens this self-reliant approach.