Remember when China was the first country to experiment with ‘lockdowns’ back in February 2020? Later, many western leaders admitted that they ‘looked to China’ for authoritarian inspiration for their own draconian pandemic policies in places like the UK, Italy and US, to name only a few.
This should be a cause for great concern, especially since the Chinese reaction to the alleged ongoing threat of a COVID pandemic has become even more extreme in recent months, particularly with the disturbing scenes in Shanghai, and now with a new reactionary push by authorities in Hong Kong.
Remember early on in the so-called “global pandemic” when Bulgaria, South Korea and Hong Kong ran pilot programs on electronic tag bracelets? Well, this is fast becoming a standard ‘people management’ tool – to be utilized by certain governments going forward…
Newsweek reports…
From July 17, Hong Kong will require all COVID-19 patients under home quarantine to wear an electronic bracelet to stop them from leaving their homes, the city’s new health minister Lo Chung-mau announced Monday.
Lo, approved by Beijing last month as part of new Chief Executive John Lee’s Cabinet, also said Monday that the Hong Kong government “recommends” to roll out in part the health code adopted in mainland China, that prevents COVID patients from visiting public venues, and requires mandatory quarantine for overseas visitors, AFP reported.
The measure will turn the QR codes of COVID-positive patients red on their LeaveHomeSafe app, and travelers will have yellow QR codes, Lo said, noting that it would make it easier to identify those who are infected and those who have come from overseas.
The official, 61, made headlines in February when he said that Hong Kong must maintain a COVID “zero tolerance” policy, because living with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, would “get us all killed.”
Hong Kong’s government used electronic wristbands earlier this year to monitor COVID patients undergoing home isolation, as part of measures that were implemented to battle rising infections amid a fifth wave.
HK's new health minister Lo Chung-mau announced that from Friday all #Covid patients under home quarantine will have to wear an electronic bracelet in order to prevent them from leaving home. pic.twitter.com/XVHO31CQ1Q
— Xinqi Su 蘇昕琪 (@XinqiSu) July 11, 2022
Lo said inbound travelers who have completed their mandatory quarantines but are still being monitored may be restricted from entering premises such as hospitals or homes for the elderly. The group may also be barred from taking part in “mask-off activities,” reported RTHK.
The health minister said further details would be provided later, and that the measures were considered after analyzing Hong Kong’s local infection rates.
“Every city is different. Hong Kong is very different from Shanghai or Macau, in terms of the total population, in terms of the age distribution, and also in terms of the vaccination as well as the fact that Hong Kong has already had the fifth wave which has caused widespread infections. We’ve paid the price,” Lo said.
“In addition, Hong Kong is a very international hub. All these are considered when we design our policy,” the official added.
SEE MORE COVID NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire COVID Files
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