Earlier this year, when news about Omicron came along, a friend joked that 2022 was looking like 2020 too.
Wow, she is so right. Especially for Hong Kong.
Since 2020, Hong Kong has been holding on to a dynamic zero infection strategy, which means they imposed the longest quarantine in the world (21 days) and banned flights from countries which had huge infections. It made travelling a hassle not only because of the quarantine experience and costs, but also because of the risk that you could be stuck abroad and not be able to come back while over there.
It worked… for a while. In 2021 while the rest of the world was suffering from massive cases, we had very few here and we were able to enjoy freedom within the confines of the country.
But because there were so few cases and no apparent danger, a lot of people did not feel the urge to get vaccinated.
Then Omicron came. And now, while the rest of the world is moving on and planning to drop all restrictions and just live with Covid, Hong Kong looks like this:
So I’m working from home again because even though I’m triple vaccinated with BioNtech and not that scared of Covid like I was in 2020, I am more scared of being sent to an isolation facility like Penny’s Bay.
And it’s not just me I’m worried about but also my cat. He’s not allowed in isolation facilities so he would need to be separated from me and be taken in by AFCD. I’m not sure I trust that he will be well taken care of while there. I’m not the only one, most pet owners have the same sentiments and that is why the Hong Kong Pets Coronavirus Support group exists.
Sure, he makes working from home difficult sometimes, especially when he decides he wants to jump on my desk, but honestly, having him with me this time around has made home quarantining tons more bearable.
A lot of people are not happy about what’s going on, though, and have left Hong Kong in droves. This is why the Expatriating Out of HK Support group exists.
I have thought about it, too, but I can’t make rash decisions. I’m no longer in my twenties so I need to have a plan. For now, I’ll just stay as safe as I can.
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