The beaches are fenced off with plastic tape. Lifeguards are off duty. Water isn’t even running in the (closed) changing rooms—but that’s not stopping everybody.
In light of the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, Hong Kong’s public outdoor leisure venues, including beaches, have been shut since July 15.
But according to the Hong Kong and Kowloon Lifeguards Union, some are ignoring social distancing advice and heading straight for the water anyway. Photos posted on the union’s Facebook page show barricades blocking a path to the beach knocked over—and plastic tape untied—likely by eager beachgoers hoping to catch some sun.
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According to HK01, changing rooms have also been closed and shower water turned off, driving people to nearby public toilets instead and leaving the floors a sandy mess.
Those undeterred by the plastic tape fencing off changing rooms appeared to take matters into their own hands. Police were called to a Clearwater Bay beach on Thursday after reports that somebody had tampered with the valves in an attempt to turn the water back on for a quick rinse.
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Wu Kai-wing, spokesperson of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Lifeguards Union, said the number of beach visitors has increased by a third to two times in comparison with previous years.
“Citizens let their guard down in terms of virus prevention [after the outbreak stabilized earlier],” Wu said on a Commercial Radio segment on Tuesday.
But even over the past weekend, when 172 cases were recorded Saturday and Sunday, Wu said he observed massive crowds at the more popular beaches.
Wu said lifeguards, who are not on rescue duty but are still patrolling the beaches, are in an “awkward” position because they can only appeal to people to leave, but have no legal authority to force them to do so.
He also expressed concern over potential spread of the virus on beaches as most visitors do not wear masks. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has also “strongly appealed” to Hongkongers to avoid gathering for the sake of public health.
Hong Kong’s epidemic worsened significantly at the start of this month, with over 920 cases reported in the past two weeks alone—representing around 40% of the total 2,250 infections. On Tuesday, 118 new infections were confirmed, marking the second day of a triple-digit jump in new cases.
The city is now the closest it’s been to a lockdown since the outbreak began in January. Civil servants are working from home, entertainment venues like cinemas and karaoke bars are shut, and restaurants are banned from offering dine-in services after 6pm.
Health Secretary Sophia Chan said authorities will not rule out mandatory masking even in outdoor areas, and the closure of venues such as shopping malls if cases continue to rise.
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