Hong Kong, 18 August 2021: Some of you may be aware I recently did a “Pirelli Hot Lap” during the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. I was given a high-speed tour of the famous circuit in a Mercedes-AMG GTR – similar to the F1 safety car – with a professional racing driver at the wheel. It was, by turns (no pun intended), enthralling, exhilarating and entertaining. Not an experience for the faint-hearted.

Trying to re-enter Hong Kong amid ever-changing Covid-19 quarantine rules has been a similarly white-knuckle ride. After our government adopted four different policies for arrivals from Britain in the space of a week, culminating in a flight ban, I chose Switzerland for my three-week “third country” break in order to be eligible to return to Hong Kong. Hiking, cycling, fresh air and breathtaking scenery, what’s not to like?

I even extended my stay a further week after it was announced the much-trumpeted-then-delayed antibodies tests at Hong Kong airport for returnees – produce a positive result and have your 14-day quarantine halved – would finally be implemented today (18 August). But then, two days ago, Hong Kong added Switzerland and 14 other countries to its “high risk” list starting this Friday, meaning 21 days in isolation. Then, inevitably, our government confirmed yesterday the antibodies tests had been shelved. You can bet I made sure to be on my scheduled flight out of Zurich last night.

So, here I am in Hong Kong. After much faffing around at the airport this morning, I’m now detained at Our Health Secretary’s Pleasure in my DQH (designated quarantine hotel) in Causeway Bay for the next 14 days. After experiencing the highs and lows of Euro 2020 football, thrills at Silverstone, cricket at glorious Lord’s and savouring the great Swiss outdoors, this is back to reality. But don’t feel sorry for me, I’m one of the lucky ones. I chose to go abroad, fully aware of the pitfalls, and had the means – plus superb administrative support from my colleagues at BC&C – to navigate the Covid tests, health protocols, DQH bookings and constant schedule changes that make travel a chore these days.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Hong Kong residents less fortunate, flying out of necessity, often with young families, making their own arrangements and budgeting accordingly, whose plans are in disarray. Some are stranded in the UK, others marooned in a third country now on the high-risk list, yet more scrambling to book quarantine hotels (which are uniformly full) and return before Friday. Then there are those affected by a further tightening yesterday of quarantine rules for arrivals from medium-risk countries, including the nulling of antibodies tests they may have already completed in Hong Kong before departing. It is utter chaos.

Our Chief Executive Carrie Lam acknowledged as much yesterday, apologising to “those who have been inconvenienced or had their plans disrupted”. She went on: “We do not want to reverse our decisions on a frequent basis. But sometimes in order to err on the side of caution in order to prevent the spread of the disease, we have to do it.” Some travellers at the sharp end of her administration’s regular flip-flopping might take issue with that.

At the core of this matter, of course, is our government’s dogged adherence to “zero Covid”, a strategy which is increasingly being questioned as many countries adapt to living with the virus, thereby relaxing social distancing and resuming quarantine-free travel. High vaccination rates plus natural infection and recovery are allowing them to do this. The University of Hong Kong’s Professor Ben Cowling has regularly addressed this topic via his Twitter account and is well worth following. He notes: “As vaccine coverage gets higher and higher, there is less and less justification to keep zero Covid measures in place. Zero Covid is looking backwards rather than forwards.”

Hong Kong’s health authorities insist there can be no deviation from zero Covid until our city achieves a high level of vaccination. Thus far, almost 56% of the population have received at least one jab. Meantime, health officials confirmed three new Covid-19 cases yesterday, including one untraceable local infection, taking the city’s cumulative total to 12,039, with 212 related fatalities.

Unfortunately, our draconian quarantine rules prevent Lord Ken Macdonald QC, the UK’s former Director of Public Prosecutions, from visiting next month to deliver the fourth HKU-Boase Cohen & Collins Criminal Law Lecture. But we have the next best option. His talk, “Free Speech in Universities”, will be given via Zoom at 4:00pm Hong Kong time on Friday 17 September. It is open to all members of the public and I do encourage you to watch. You can register for it here.

I shall look forward to that event – and other pleasures in life, such as seeing grandson Nathan again and resuming hiking with the Stumblers – whilst enduring the next fortnight under lock and key. My hot lap at Silverstone went by in a flash, I suspect quarantine will pass at a snail’s pace.

Stay safe and well, everybody!

Colin Cohen
Senior Partner
Boase Cohen & Collins