Hong Kong residents had the unpleasant feeling of being back in 2020 on Wednesday as they saw people scrambling for groceries, the day after severe restrictions were announced following a spike in cases.
“It feels like we’ve gone back to the start of the pandemic. It’s very discouraging, ”lamented Cheung, a customer waiting outside a hairdresser, on the eve of the closing of all salons.
At a time when the rest of the world is experiencing a return to normal life, like mainland China, Hong Kong has adopted the “zero-COVID” strategy which consists of draconian restrictions on entry to the territory, confinements targeted and tracing of cases and massive screenings.
On Wednesday, 1161 cases were recorded on Wednesday, for a population of less than 7.5 million inhabitants, a record figure but derisory compared to the majority of countries.
The day before, Chief Executive Carrie Lam reiterated that the zero-COVID strategy remains the best, due to low vaccination rates among the oldest people, while announcing unprecedented restriction measures.
Gatherings of more than two people are prohibited and for the first time, more than two families will not be able to meet at home. She also ordered the closure of religious buildings and hair salons.
Since the appearance of the highly contagious variant Omicron, authorities have already closed bars, implemented a curfew for restaurants, closed schools and banned arrivals from eight countries (United States, India, France, UK…).
On Wednesday, Hong Kongers crowded through the city’s markets to stock up on food, fearing shortages of certain foodstuffs.
“We have the impression that the government is not at all prepared, and that we, ordinary citizens, can only manage on our own,” a woman named Siu, 42, told AFP on Wednesday.
“When will you stop? »
She was among a crowd of people who got up at dawn to be sure to find fresh produce, which the city imports mostly from neighboring mainland China.
Earlier this week, a cross-border truck driver tested positive for COVID, leading to a temporary suspension of truck deliveries.
The supply of vegetables has since shrunk by about a third, according to the Hong Kong government.
This sudden increase in demand drove up prices in markets when it was impossible to find any green products on supermarket shelves.
“I can’t remember vegetables ever being so expensive,” Siu said, pointing out that her grocery bill has doubled this week.
An owner of a vegetable stall told AFP that he had more products than at the start of the week.
“I hope things will get back to normal. I don’t know how long we can go on like this,” he said, trying to answer all the customers who stormed his stand.
The government also ordered religious buildings and hair salons to close from Thursday, leading Hong Kongers to rush to hairdressers for last-minute haircuts.
“They say this closure is temporary but who knows when they will reopen,” Cheung said in despair, waiting to get a haircut.
Hong Kongers rushed to social media to express their resentment.
‘We’ve done everything you ask, we’ve been sitting quietly as mental health takes a toll, families are torn apart and businesses close because it’s all in the hope that China will reopen our borders’ , wrote a resident in an open letter that went viral.
“You tried for two years, and you failed,” the letter continues.
“When will you stop taking hostage the citizens of this city that was once a city in Asia? “.