Hong Kong is baffled by Britain’s coronavirus response

To Hongkongers, Britain’s coronavirus response is nothing short of a disaster. Since I began self-isolating in London days before the official lockdown started on 23 March, I’ve received dozens of messages from loved ones back home in Hong Kong expressing their concern – and incredulity.

Despite advance warnings since January of how serious the situation was in Asia, the UK’s initial approach was slow and lax even compared to many of its European counterparts. The choice to offset infections by mitigating rather than controlling the virus allowed it to spread unchecked and likely condemned the economy to a protracted lockdown, as well as a tragically higher death toll. Confusion over the government’s stance on herd immunity, reluctance to implement harsher restrictions, PPE shortages, disinformation and the recent lack of clarity over updated social-distancing advice have since made a spectacle of Britain for all the wrong reasons.

The death toll has risen to over 40,000 in the UK – the highest in Europe – and 5,782