Coronavirus: Hong Kong Schools to Reopen As 3rd Wave Stabilizes
Published Date: 9/22/2020
Source: Bloomberg QuickTake: Now
Hong Kong schools will reopen Wednesday as the third wave of the coronavirus outbreak stabilizes, says Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Public schools, including children, will be provided with face masks as part of Covid-19 safety measures. The city reported 67 new cases between September 15 and 21, with two-thirds of them imported, said Lam. Hong Kong will extend coronavirus-related social distancing measures for another week amid persisting signs of hidden Covid-19 transmission, Lam said. Despite moderating numbers, “we still have unknown cases and it implies that there is silent transmission chain in our community,” Lam said at a weekly briefing on Tuesday before a meeting of her advisory Executive Council. Bars, pools and theme parks were allowed to reopen last Friday. Bars were allowed to remain open until midnight, and dine-in services at restaurants were extended by two hours, also until 12 a.m. The limit on public gatherings will be kept at four people. Hong Kong has largely contained its latest wave of the coronavirus, reporting just two new local cases on Monday, with four imported. But Lam cautioned the city must remain on guard with school campuses starting to reopen, and urged businesses to exercise self discipline. Separately, Lam reiterated her defense of the law on Tuesday, saying Hong Kong’s legal system remained in tact, after a foreign judge sitting on the city’s top court resigned, citing concerns about the controversial national security legislation. “We have gone all out to explain to the international community as well as our interlocutors in various places that that the legal system is as robust as ever under the national security law, that judicial independence is not undermined in any way, that Hong Kong now restores law and order which makes it an even more attractive place for doing business,” she said. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm QUICKTAKE ON SOCIAL: Follow QuickTake on Twitter: twitter.com/quicktake Like QuickTake on Facebook: facebook.com/quicktake Follow QuickTake on Instagram: instagram.com/quicktake Subscribe to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2FJ0oQZ Email us at [email protected] QuickTake by Bloomberg is a global news network delivering up-to-the-minute analysis on the biggest news, trends and ideas for a new generation of leaders.