Visconti

We're making decisions here based on potential future events. Absent of hindsight, no one knows with any degree of certitude what will or won't be effective. It may turn out the China ban would have been futile anyway, but there's no way to know. What I am saying is that it seems more prudent to try and see if it's effective, rather than just not considering it simply because there aren't 100% assurances it will be 100% effective. Even slowing it down would be helpful.

No one here is happy about people dying from the flu. Just as there's no one happy about people dying from strokes, car accidents, or a variety of other chronic illnesses. I'm not celebrating anything, but merely pointing out that the "flu" and whatever illnesses already exists and resources are devoted accordingly to combat them. Efforts to avoid this virus is completely separate from efforts to deal with the variety of ailments are already here--one has nothing to do with the other.

889

Postal deliveries will be every other day starting Monday, and post offices will be open only from 11am to 3pm M-F and 9:30am to 1pm Sat.

https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/web_n...ail.html?id=61

MSPeconomist

When did the fly become an "American" disease?

Eagle2000

It didn't, it's typical, certain party, distraction tactics to change the narrative. BTW I am assuming you mean "flu"

nk15

Check out the pics of the crazy lines going around the block of people waiting to buy masks in HK. Or those of people wearing plastic bottles for masks. Things are getting grimmer.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...age=BBZaM5o|32

AA does not sell seats on their LAX/DFW-HKG direct flights for next week any more (AA193/125), availability is zeroed out, very likely to be cancelled.

helvetic

What I want to figure out is whether all these countries banning foreigners who have been to China include HK, Macau, or Taiwan in their definitions of China. I presume not, but it's not guaranteed with the wording they use (I don't see any specify "mainland China" or any specific exemption for HK etc.)

Seems like Vietnam banned flights to HK as well.

I'll be coming in and out of HK over the next month or two, so I may be impacted by this should they include HK.

jerry a. laska

The official statement from Singapore refers to mainland China:
https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highligh...d-in-singapore
Australia also refers to mainland China:
https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/m...el-coronavirus
The US proclamation specifically refers to the Peoples Republic of China and excludes Hong Kong and Macau:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/president...l-coronavirus/

The BA forum coronavirus thread has been providing assistance to some in interpreting some of these restrictions.

STS-134

I suspect that if the HK government continues to allow people to come across the border without going through quarantine, more countries are going to start treating HK the same as the mainland. As it is, this maybe could have been confined to just Hubei and possibly Wuhan, but it was the slow reaction by the morons in the Chinese government that allowed it to spread to every province, many of which now have hundreds of confirmed cases.

jpdx

Per SCMP, Philippines just banned arrivals from China, including MO and HK.

I flew HKG-CGK two days ago, and we had to fill out a health form and were funneled through the checkpoint that had banners stating arrivals from China.

IMO this whole thing is a giant overreaction, but with open borders, HK/MO are no more safe than PVG/PEK.

percysmith

Already cut:
- 個人遊 (L簽)
- 團隊 (G簽)

Keep:
- family reunion (T簽)
- business (S簽)
- study and hospitalisation (D(?)簽)
- all Mainland passport holders with onward tickets to/from Hong Kong for transit of 7 days

HK residents (and I presume 單程證 holders) will have still have an unfettered right to return from Mainland China - we can’t stop that in law, even if it means throwing them into quarantine as soon as they land

So we’re going after T/S/D and transit?

Kilian Zoll

It's just a matter of time before countries will start banning HKers (or people who have been to HK in the past 14 days) as well.

thelark

I just returned from a MR that was coincidentally my first trip to HK. Was on the ground for <24h and am sad I didn’t get to experience the city. Don’t know what normal load is, but airport express to Kowloon was empty both ways. Going to my hotel in TST I saw closed/empty shops and quiet streets. Everyone was wearing masks (myself included) and practicing good hand hygiene. Coming home, the airport seemed exceptionally quiet for a major international hub.

back in the US, people think HK is like right next to Wuhan. Even after explaining distances, incidence rates, my own experience in clinical microbiology, etc. people don’t get it because of the media hysteria. There have been jokes about me being a carrier, but at least one person didn’t show to a party today out of an abundance of caution.

nk15

I am more surprised that the rest did show up, lol, and your associates did not “quarantine” you for two weeks.

Visconti

I've gotten the same upon returning. I've had a few intimate that should they be in my presence, I should have a mask on. I'm not only too happy to comply but will also put on some sunglasses. Even after my 14 days and contrary to the advice of the CDC, I'll keep masking, especially at Airports, until this thing blows over.

IMOA

So a question for the people in Hong Kong, are bars, restaurants etc open or is it completely dead? We’re due to arrive next Tuesday and if it’s going to be dead we might skip and stay in Bangkok. And yes, ignoring the fact that Bangkok has more cases, a worse health system, a huge number of Chinese tourists with no travel restrictions and worse hygiene standards. But it has open restaurants and bars do you can still have a holiday.