Alice Wu

Opinion | Hong Kong must seize the chance of coronavirus disruptions to overhaul its economy and politics

Pathogens have a long history of transforming human life. Covid-19 presents opportunities to change our high-consumption lifestyle, and tackle Hong Kong’s economic and political problems

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Two women wearing masks wait to cross the street in Hong Kong on April 11 as the city fights to contain the coronavirus outbreak. At the end of April, Hong Kong will have been fighting Covid-19 for three months. Photo: Xinhua

Alice Wu

Published: 9:00am, 20 Apr 2020Updated: 9:20am, 20 Apr 2020

People often say they want change – until change knocks on their door. Then it’s all flailing arms and kicking feet as change drags us out of our comfort zone, disrupts our routine, and no one, save Donald Trump, can tell us when life can, if at all, return to normal.

Covid-19 shows that all of the phenomenal human advances and accomplishments have not made us immune to disease outbreaks and global pandemics. Perhaps we are not supposed to be.

Pathogens have been bringing humankind to our knees since prehistoric times, bringing down some empires and helping to build others (by decimating indigenous people). They have forced technological innovation, strengthened personal hygiene and public health measures, and meted out harsh lessons. They create powerful change.

Many governments are bracing themselves for seriously hard times ahead and know they will not be reopening economies to normalcy any time soon. Indeed, the world will emerge from this pandemic transformed.

Those who expect to return to their way of life pre-Covid-19 will be disappointed. A recent Harvard study has found that on-off social distancing may be necessary until 2022. A government can lift a lockdown and you can reopen your fancy restaurant tomorrow, but you’ll be reopening to a changed economic landscape.

Times like these can usher in tremendous opportunities, though. There is no better time to make sweeping changes to just about anything and correct human wrongs. Life was too good for too many of us to care about the environment. The crisis presents a precious opportunity to explore ways to reduce energy consumption and try out new models of travel, work and urban life. And, no, we don’t need the same shirt in all 10 colours.