In this series of stories to mark five years since Hong Kong recorded its first Covid-19 case on January 22, 2020, the Post looks at how some residents’ lives changed and examines the city’s readiness for the next global pandemic.
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Care home operator Grace Li Fai remembers the Covid-19 pandemic, which claimed more than 13,000 lives in Hong Kong, as “a devastating time”.
“I dare not look back, nor can I forget it. The elderly were dying, staff were terrified to work, and no care home was spared,” she said.
Five years after the city recorded its first Covid-19 case, however, she was confident much had changed, with the care industry better prepared with stronger infection control awareness to face a new public health crisis.
“We never let down our guard, which helped us manage recent flu and norovirus outbreaks with minimal severe cases or deaths,” said Li, honorary chairwoman of the Elderly Services Association.
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Care homes now enforced mask-wearing and temperature checks for visitors, and assigned dedicated staff in full protective gear to handle infected residents. Ventilation and drainage systems had also been upgraded.
But vaccine hesitancy remained an issue for some. “While flu vaccines are widely accepted, it took significant effort and education to address misconceptions about Covid-19 vaccines,” Li said.