By Farah Master

HONG KONG, (Reuters) –Hong Kong had a remarkable record in fighting COVID-19 until very recently. However, many people living there are finding it difficult to live with the Omicron waves that have ravaged their city.

Experts believe that “dynamic zero-COVID,” policies which were used to eradicate the virus in Hong Kong, have led to the present problems. Overflowing hospitals are crowded with patients who lie on cold and wet parking lot beds. Isolation facilities fill up quickly, and there is a long line of people waiting for their turn outside the testing sites.

The government had to change its COVID-eradication policies after a 60 percent increase in daily cases this month. However, authorities are still determined to eradicate the virus. Epidemiologists believe that the impact of zero tolerance will continue for some time.

Hong Kong has a strict policy against pandemics that limits coronavirus infection to approximately 40,000 people with only 259 deaths. This is far less than other large cities. With 5.7 million inhabitants, Singapore is Asia’s rival. It has recorded more than half of a million coronavirus cases and nearly 900 deaths.

Hong Kong officials closed off the border under zero-COVID and admitted coronavirus positive people even though they were not symptomatic. They also isolated people who had close contact with people infected. A patient with little to no symptoms may spend several weeks in hospital before moving to an isolation unit for several additional weeks.

Most people living in the financial center could continue their lives and do their jobs without any restrictions.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam of the government has stated that Hong Kong cannot surrender to the virus and that it is crucial for the country to contain the epidemic. She also seeks people’s understanding about the inconveniences caused due the policies.

“Elimination was initially the best strategy for Hong Kong,” but is no longer appropriate, said Dr David Owens, a founding partner of OT&P clinic.

He said that “once effective vaccines were available, the negative framing of zero-covid and the policy surrounding it adversely affected vaccination rates, particularly in the most vulnerable.” “The message was paradoxically more dangerous than it appeared, and not just because it wasn’t scientifically supported.

A request to comment by the government on whether it had contributed to this problem was not answered.

The highly transmissible COVID variant has been a test of the health system and patience. Authorities have moved from eliminating to mitigating the symptoms, changing policies frequently based on severity and the availability of isolation rooms and beds.

Feeling ill? Carriers may go to quarantine centers or return home. Contacts may then isolate.

“INSANE and CRUEL”

As infections rise, the healthcare system becomes increasingly stretched.

Some epidemiologists believe that mass testing starting next month won’t be effective without full lockdown of the city, which Lam has already ruled out.

“Zero-COVID can’t last forever,” said Peter Collignon, professor of microbiology at the Australian National University. Follow the target “can cause poor resource allocations and priorities”.

Although all infected people are eligible for treatment, quarantine and testing resources, they still need to be tagged, tested, treated, or screened.

Some epidemiologists are concerned that Zero-COVID messaging may lead to complacency in the elderly and false hope that it will be virus-free again. More than 60% have never been vaccinated. However, 85% of all residents are at least once vaccinated.

Many are unable to survive without bars, beauty salons, and gyms. Around 990,000 students have been expelled from school. However, most of the population has resumed work at home in early 2020.

Some analysts predict that the economy will contract in 2015, following last year’s recovery from its longest period of recession. Psychologists warn that economic uncertainty and isolation could lead to a mental illness epidemic.

One 41-year-old woman described the experience as “incredible and cruel” and said that her family had to go through five weeks in quarantine and hospital, with separations from their children.

This is the only place in the world that does this.

Beijing was asked for assistance by Hong Kong. A total of more than 100 million rapid testing kits are being shipped from mainland. Authorities plan to intensify testing, create additional isolation centers, and provide food for those who suffer vegetable shortages.

Some experts believe that daily infection rates could rise as high as 30000 by March 31, from the 3,629 reported Friday. This is far more than efforts to expand capacity.

University of Hong Kong Epidemiologists warn that only an expensive and prolonged lockdown could eradicate infections. They warn that while this would restore the city to December’s condition, Omicron could return, creating more chaos.

Residents who believed that the government had failed to protect their family and friends during the pandemic have now lost all faith.

“The government wants to achieve dynamic zero-COVID, which has basically made citizens more troubled and confused, because I believe that no virus can be eradicated completely,” said 39-year-old Hang Tang.