Last hurrah before Hong Kong closes all beaches on Thursday

Hongkongers have rushed to beaches today to have their last hurrah before they are cordoned off on Thursday.   

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said on Wednesday that all lifesaving services at beaches have been suspended since the fifth wave of the Covid outbreak.   

Due to the severe situation, the department will close all beaches under its regulation on Thursday until further notice.  

The beaches will be cordoned off, said the department, which calls upon members of the public to stay home as much as possible.   

Hearing the news of imminent closure, more people headed to beaches to seize the last chance of sunbathing and swimming. Crowds were spotted at Repulse Bay, with people continuing their activities without wearing masks.   

Over the weekend, many Hongkongers flocked to beaches as the temperature rose. Pictures of maskless people having fun soon drew fire from mainlanders, including those who are now undergoing a seven-day lockdown in Shenzhen.   

The mainland netizens slammed Hongkongers for insufficient anti-pandemic awareness and ignoring Covid curbs.   

Users of the microblogging site believed Hong Kong is to be blamed for the lockdown in Shenzhen starting Monday.   

“Mainland sent help to Hong Kong, and now she is burning herself!” one wrote.   

Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of Global Times, wrote: “Hong Kong dragged Shenzhen into this.”   

Hongkongers reacted differently to the ban. Some said people “asked for it” as they ignored daily infection figures and stayed on beaches without masks. Others argued that the mainlanders are probably “jealous” of Hongkongers.   

“The arrangement is meaningless. The infection would surge even faster if everyone were stranded indoors,” one wrote.   

“Obtaining vitamin D from sunbathing can strengthen our immune system,” another joked.   

Some teased the Hong Kong government for its “swift decision making” soon after mainlanders took the matter to Weibo.