The following is an update that I just published on another popular website:
As many of you know, Hong Kong was hit by the COVID19 Coronavirus crisis very early on around third week in January.
We had three things going for us at the time.
First, we did not have many Chinese New Year visitations from China on account of the negative goodwill created by the protests.
Second, we have a very competent medical establishment here particularly when it comes to infectious disease control. This is primarily a result of the traumatic SARS experience which hit the medical profession very hard. A medical emergency was declared in January, schools were closed and work from home policies were activated across the private and public sectors. Borders were tightened somewhat belatedly for political reasons, by first week in February.
Third, the adult segment of the general population here still remembers SARS well and knew instinctively what to do: mask, wash isolate.
Macau, Singapore, and Taiwan were similarly positioned.
As a result, Hong Kong did not have to "flatten its curve" it never bulged. The case count grew linearly instead of exponentially. We had an initial TP/Mask style panic run, but that subsided in a week or two and the stores here have been fully stocked for weeks. Restaurants and bars remained open, although that industry has been hit very hard and many catering primarily to tourists have shut down. The streets are not empty. People are out and about, but briskly with an immediate sense of purpose. Masks are worn by 99.9%. Wash, wash, wash...
Foreign tourist visitations and all inter-country connections through the airport have been suspended until further notice.
So what changed recently?
During the past week or so we have experienced a surge of resident returnees from Europe and North America. These consist of HK overseas students and residents (many of whom ran away from HK in the early days), as well as returning foreign expatriate residents who similarly left then figured out that it is relatively safer here. The bankers and embassy people were among the first to send their families home.
During this recent period, the number of cases per day jumped significantly 30 to 40 to 50 to 60 etc. The Health Department sounded the alarm. Additionally, a group of bars managed by the same group has suffered a cluster of cases infecting the Filipino cover band members and bat staff. There have been numerous reports of returnees violating self-quarantine orders. Those very selfish people are being tracked down and forced into government facilities. It’s pretty easy to self-quarantine for 15 days. All kinds of food are deliverable.
Yesterday, new controls were announced for the next two weeks initially. All public venues with large crowds, parks, theaters, sports facilities, gyms, etc have been shut. All restaurants are required to implement table separation (1.5 meters) and parties of 4 are the maximum. Bars are required to cut their capacity in half, take mandatory temperature checks and provide cleaning gels. Group gatherings of more than 4 persons in public places are prohibited.
So this is where we are at the moment. A population of about 7.6 million people, 518 cases and 4 deaths. So far as I know, the hospitals here are stressed but not in a state of imminent collapse. They want to reverse the recent trend ASAP.
The bottom line is there is no magic light at the end of this tunnel yet. You have to remain vigilant. If you do not, this thing will jump right back and bite you. And no. I don't believe the data from across the border. Although I can see how having extreme authoritarian measures in your tool kit can be advantageous in controlling this type of situation, I do not believe the outbreak can be eradicated so quickly.
I also do not believe that the whole world needs to be totalitarian to prevent future pandemics. We need to educate people on how to prepare and react and we need to have a competent method for early warning, testing and tracing. All the "experts" agree the time to nip this at the bud was in December or perhaps sooner. And yes, transparency and truthfulness are key.
AS OF MARCH 28, I am still conducting limited private tours. As always, the health and safety of my clients is my paramount concern. You can be certain that I am applying great effort in keeping well informed on this emerging health threat.
For this reason, I have modified my tour itineraries to minimize or avoid unnecessary exposure to crowds or enclosed areas. I am providing protective masks to those of my clients who do not have their own and I am reminding everyone to apply appropriate hygienic precautions such as frequent hand disinfecting and regular fluid intake. I am extremely cautious about which public restroom facilities I deem safe for clients to use.
I am also strongly recommending vehicular tours as an alternative to using public transportation in order to limit crowd exposure. It is possible to see a great deal of Hong Kong staying out in open areas.
Please note that many public attractions and venues have been temporarily closed.
For your information, I was living in Singapore during the SARS epidemic and was responsible for the health and safety of my employees there as well as my own family. Consequently, I am very familiar with appropriate health safety countermeasures applicable in this instance.
It is obviously a serious personal decision of each traveler as to whether or not to proceed with their travel plans and I fully respect whatever decisions may be made in these circumstances.
A medical emergency has been declared to address ongoing concerns and various government departments are deploying their respective resources accordingly.
As a result of the earlier SARS experience, Hong Kong now has one of the most advanced medical establishments for dealing with this kind of health threat. The Department of Health’s Guidelines can be viewed here.
I will be updating this dispatch as I deem relevant and appropriate. If you have any questions please feel to inquire.
I know that this pandemic is disrupting the lives of so many. For myself, I can only say that I really miss doing private tours with regularity. I miss the exercise, the fresh air, the connection with the streets, but most of all I miss the steady stream of great company. I was very thankful for my own good fortune and as many of you know, I made no secret of it.
Naturally my thoughts and prayers are with all of you whom I have had the great privilege of spending so much quality time with inrecent years. Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones and we can all look forward to meeting once again when this crisis is over, hopefully in the not to distant future!
Safe travels,
William
End of Dispatch
I am an American of Asian descent from NYC who has spent many years living and working throughout Asia, most recently based from a very old Chinese neighborhood called To Kwa Wan in Old Kowloon for 15 years. I am also a retired international lawyer with strong Asian roots and I have reinvented myself as a professional artist, photographer and street savvy Hong Kong premium tour guide.
I specialize in premium private walking tours with an emphasis on street culture, local history and, for those so inclined, all levels of photography. My private tours are personalized to match your unique interests. Inasmuch as I am a professional photographer, all of the points of interest covered in my repertoire have a very strong visual appeal coupled with a well informed narrative adding dimension and context to your images.
Whether you are into simple travel snapshots, social media image sharing or serious landscape, architectural or urban street photography or just enjoying the Hong Kong experience, I am in a position to maximize your time spent in Hong Kong and its surrounding locales to the fullest.
Hence, my mission can be encapsulated as follows: To provide all of my clients with an entertaining, deeply informative and street savvy premium travel experience ultimately leading to cherished memories, a portfolio of stunning on-tour photographs, an urge for further investigation and a strong desire to navigate your way back to this wonderfully engaging city.
My premium walking tours are ideal for acclimating and orienting first time visitors to Hong Kong as well as for returning visitors eager for a new experience.
I accept engagements up to one year in advance or, subject to my availability, last minute and/or same day. Families with children are always welcome and children 16 years and under are free of charge. Special needs clients are also welcome.
You can book a tour or send me an inquiry now by going to my Contact/Booking Page.
