Discussing zero-infection policy not against national security law: HK gov

People won't violate the national security law when they discuss effectiveness of the “zero infection” policy, the SAR government says.

The SAR government issued a statement on Sunday, a day after lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu said health experts who suggested Hong Kong adopt the "living with Covid" strategy should be seen as violating the national security law.

A government spokesman said “making general remarks and discussion is not illegal”. But he emphasizes that the government will continue its aim to achieve zero infection to ensure the effective operation of the public health system, which is the “most essential and effective way to safeguard citizens' lives”.

The spokesman said the global Covid-19 situation remains severe, and the number of more contagious Omicron infections keeps increasing. He said the government has enhanced a series of measures to prevent the importation of cases and the spreading of the virus in the community, with a view to protecting the lives of citizens with the greatest effectiveness.

The spokesman also appealed to members of the public once again to get the Covid-19 jabs as the current overall vaccination rate in Hong Kong is not high.

“More than a million citizens yet to be vaccinated. They may be exposed to a high chance of infection, or even a risk of death,” the spokesman said.

As of Saturday, the rate of those who have received the first dose of the vaccine was less than 80 percent, while some 500,000 elderly people aged 70 or above still have not yet received their first dose of vaccine.

“Vaccination is highly effective in preventing severe cases or death from Covid-19, and Hong Kong is in a race against time in combating the highly transmissible mutant variants,” the spokesman said.

The government statement came amid heated discussions on whether Hong Kong should continue the so-called “dynamic zero infection” policy or move on to “live with the virus” amid the fifth wave of fast-spreading Omicron variant.

On Saturday, Ho told local media that guarding against imported caes and the resurgence of domestic infections is a national strategy, and anti-epidemic measures are considered areas of “defense and diplomacy” – meaning the SAR government has no say on it.

The strategy of "living with Covid" may "breach national defense and disrupt the order of the society," Ho said.