Marius Zaharia and Donny Kwak

HONG KONG (Reuters).-Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam defended herself Tuesday from criticism for her refusal to wear a face mask when she spoke at news conference. It was done so that people would see just how serious and solemn she was about the coronavirus.

Hong Kong had 109 infections on Monday. This is in sharp contrast to other countries that have tens of thousands or more of cases per day. None of the 426 COVID-19-infected patients were seriously or critically ill.

However, the detection in Hong Kong of transmissions from local areas at the end last year after three consecutive clean streaks led to restrictions being imposed that made this global financial hub one the most isolated major cities on the planet.

Lam was criticized on social media by health professionals for refusing to wear a mask and asking the society to adhere strictly to her strict guidelines.

Lam stated that her decision to not wear a mask for media briefings is well-thought out and she does wear one when doing other activities.

“Now I’m very depressed, I’m very serious, I have a lot of anxiety. Lam explained that everyone needs to be able to empathize with my emotions. I’m not going smiling to you, or looking casually or relaxed. This is an extremely solemn event.

Yuen Kwok yung (microbiologist), one of Lam’s most prominent COVID-19 advisers, is well-known in Hong Kong as the wearer of face masks shaped after a duck beak. Local media reported that Yuen Kwok yung said “When we are leaders or experts, we must also set example.”

Hong Kong has never been subjected to so severe restrictions since 2020, in the early days of the pandemic.

Schools, bars, and gyms were closed. Restaurants close at 6 pm. Many people work from home. Very few flights can land, and almost none are permitted to transit.

Hong Kong authorities angered pet owners last week by ordering the culling of more than 2,000 pets after they traced an outbreak to an employee at a shop in which 11 hamsters were positive.

Hong Kong adopted an approach similar to that of mainland China. It aimed to rapidly smother any epidemic and stop infected people from returning. Globally, the trend has been to “live with the virus”.

Singapore is a rival financial hub with three quarters of the population as Hong Kong. However, it reports 3,000 new infections per day and has relaxed restrictions, including border control. It has a mandate to wear a mask, allows group dining but does not allow vaccinations in shopping centers.

However, Hong Kong has a much lower percentage of double-vaccinated people than Singapore, with around 70% being double-vaccinated. The majority of Hong Kong’s seniors have never received a single shot.

Lam reminded people Tuesday to refrain from family reunions or gatherings during the Lunar New Year at February’s start. He also reiterated the fact that there is no way to relax social restrictions after this break, as originally hoped.

Lam declared, “This is a vicious wave of the epidemic.”