Hong Kong Tries to End Covid Without Resorting to Lockdown
- Drastic measure would be costly, difficult to implement
- Xi Jinping urges officials to control the omicron outbreak
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It’s becoming clear Hong Kong will do everything short of a citywide lockdown as the financial hub battles to control a rapidly escalating omicron outbreak.
Instead of such a drastic and costly step, mass testing and isolating positive cases will be the priority, using mainland support. Parts of the city may be sealed off when cases flare until residents have tested negative, according to officials and advisers. The size may range from single buildings to larger areas, while the length of these mini-lockdowns would vary. Off the table, according to the government, is a scenario where residents are forced to mostly stay in their homes for weeks on end, as seen in cities from Xi’an to Melbourne.