People walk in the Central area amid COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, south China, July 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
"How can elderly people vote when they are afraid of leaving their homes," said a Hong Kong resident, who described the government's postponement of the 2020 Legislative Council (LegCo) General Election as "understandable."
HONG KONG, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The rebound of the COVID-19 epidemic is changing the lives of people in Hong Kong.
Ms. Chin, who works for a foreign bank in the Central of Hong Kong Island, has started to work from home since mid-July. This has saved her from the risk of contracting the disease by taking public transport, but not going out also brings her problems.
"I'm now shopping online for food. The freight costs me 50 HK dollars (about 6.45 U.S. dollars) each time and I have to place an order several days in advance," Chin said, adding that wet markets have become high-risk places and many infections were linked to restaurant clusters which made her afraid of dining in or even getting takeaways.
A man wearing a face mask buys breakfast amid COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai)
Working out amid a resurgence of the virus has also worried people like Mr. Lee, who was running on the jogging track in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay as usual. He maintained his habit of exercising outdoors despite the epidemic. The only difference was that he was wearing a face mask.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced last week to tighten anti-epidemic measures including mandatory mask-wearing in all public places.
"Everyone is very careful these days and a lot fewer people are coming out to exercise, especially the elderly," Lee said.
A man wearing a face mask runs at Victoria Harbor amid COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, south China, July 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
As of Saturday, Hong Kong has recorded daily additional COVID-19 cases of over 100 for the 11th consecutive day. The death toll has exceeded 30, with most of them elderly people, and the vast majority of the new cases are local transmissions.
HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 31 announced the postponement of the 2020 Legislative Council (LegCo) General Election of the HKSAR due to the current COVID-19 outbreak.
"It is understandable. How can elderly people vote when they are afraid of leaving their homes," Lee said, adding that organizing activities will increase the risk of infection.
People wearing face masks walk along a street of Causeway Bay amid COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai)
"Group gathering is too dangerous in this special period of time when combating with the epidemic is a priority," said Ms. Wong, a snack shop salesperson in Nathan Road of Kowloon.
"I have two kids and my mom is over 70. I can't just stop working," private goods vehicle driver Lui Gor told the reporter as he was moving luggage for his client into a residential building in the rain.
To protect himself and his clients, Lui Gor placed hand sanitizer and plastic curtains in the van. "I used to talk a lot with my clients, but now I dare not to do so as the epidemic is getting worse," he said.
Photo taken on Aug. 1, 2020 shows the interior of a makeshift hospital for COVID-19 patients at the AsiaWorld-Expo, a venue near Hong Kong International Airport, in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)
The National Health Commission (NHC) has assembled a nucleic acid testing team from the mainland to come to Hong Kong to help to fight against COVID-19.
Ms. Chin was overjoyed, saying that the mainland's ability to combat the epidemic has been widely recognized. She believed that with the help of the mainland's technology and experience, and the cooperation between the medical staff from Hong Kong and the mainland, the situation in Hong Kong will be brought under control soon and people's lives will be back on track.
"The hospitals in Hong Kong are short of manpower under the epidemic. I'm really grateful that the central government is sending people to help us," Lui Gor said. (1 U.S. dollar = 7.75 HK dollars)■
