What Hong Kong did to squash the virus

Hong Kong, the City of Lights has always been a tourism and business destination and a melting pot of diversity and resilience. With 1030 total cases and 4 dead for a city of 7.5 million people, Hong Kong succeeded to fight the virus Hong Kong style. Since the first COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Hong Kong earlier this year, the city has seen its citizens, private businesses and public sector come together and work tirelessly round the clock to keep everyone as safe and everything functioning as smoothly as possible. From small businesses taking extra precautions to public institutions setting the tone for the way forward, the city has continued to tick, allowing residents to interact responsibly with one another during this extraordinary time.

Safety in Technology

Hong Kong’s public transportation system is easily one of the most efficient in the world. In light of the current situation, trains, buses and taxis have all stepped up with more rigorous cleansing procedures and services to give their riders some much-needed peace of mind. Leading the way is train service company MTR Corporation, which utilizes an army of Vapourised Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP) Robots to strategically and thoroughly decontaminate its train carriages and stations. High-contact station facilities, like ticket issuing machines, elevator buttons, and handrails are disinfected with a bleach solution every two hours. Even the air conditioner filters on the trains are washed and replaced at more frequent intervals than before.

At Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), one of Asia’s busiest travel hubs, Intelligent Sterilisation Robots (ISRs) have been deployed to sterilize germs and viruses using a combination of UV light technology, 360-degree spray nozzles, and air filters. These technologies were developed in Hong Kong, but the robots were previously used only in hospitals. HKIA is the first airport in the world to use ISRs in a non-clinical setting.

Riding Safe

Most taxi drivers these days are driving with face masks on as a courtesy to their passengers, and many taxis have bottles of hand sanitizer attached to the back of the driver’s seat for riders to use at their convenience. Not to be outdone, double-decker bus company KMB has started installing hand sanitizer dispensers on buses, as well as at various stations. KMB buses also provide floor mats sprinkled with a bleach solution to conveniently help disinfect passengers’ shoes as they step on board the bus.

Creative Solutions

Despite cancellations, many of the city’s organizers have come up with a Plan B to allow guests to experience the joys of a physical or social gathering without large crowds.

The world-renowned Art Basel Hong Kong 2020 swapped a physical exhibition for Online Viewing Rooms, showcasing more than 2,000 art pieces from 235 galleries from around the globe. The online viewing room was a great success, with over 250,000 virtual visitors in total. Art Central, another large-scale art fair, is taking sales online via a website that allows visitors to easily sort through more than 500 artworks by artist, exhibitor, size, price, and medium. Other virtual galleries such as K11 Art Foundation, Sotheby’s Hong Kong and M+ Collections Beta are also available to keep the art community connected and entertained.

Artistic Relief

Asia Society Hong Kong, meanwhile, has teamed up with The Hong Kong Art Gallery Association to put on a one-month Sculpture Exhibition, featuring art from international and local galleries and a full-day Art Talk Programme that is live-streamed on Facebook. Homegrown community platform ART Power HK sprung up this year to make up for the gap in the regular arts calendar caused by the coronavirus by partnering with respected authorities and hosting a series of thought-provoking events and conversations online. Staying true to his brand’s playful spirit, Douglas Young, of lifestyle chain G.O.D. (Goods of Desire), reminds the community to keep positive amidst the COVID-19 pandemic by launching a line of fabric face masks available in multiple colors and quirky designs. “Naturally, they are just fashion masks, but I want to inject a sense of humor to help people reduce stress during the current situation,” said Douglas. “I will continue to come up with more functions and innovative designs to encourage people to stay positive.” Inspired by Hong Kong’s vibrant culture and locally made in G.O.D.’s workshop, the washable, reusable masks not only help with the global shortage but also keep the brand’s craftspeople working. The masks, designed with a pocket to insert a filter, are also an eco-friendly alternative for everyday use.

Knowledge is Power

On the health protection front, the Centre for Health Protection provides a comprehensive case-tracking news bulletin on its website to provide residents with the latest coronavirus news.

Stronger Together

With myriad innovative strategies and a proactive approach, Hong Kong has so far been able to move forward on a relatively slow, steady and minimally disruptive path throughout the coronavirus outbreak. What’s more, despite the uncertainty in the days ahead, Hong Kong people have demonstrated their ability to band together and work through difficult situations with passion and community spirit.