Beijing backs Hong Kong lockdown as Covid crisis worsens, say sources

Bloomberg

Chinese officials have told Hong Kong that they think a lockdown will be needed to contain surging Covid-19 cases, according to people familiar with the discussions, with the city’s government conceding some kind of targeted stay-at-home restrictions may be necessary if the situation continues to spiral out of control.
The two sides have been meeting frequently to discuss Hong Kong’s outbreak, which has seen the financial hub go from a handful of Covid cases early this year to more than 7,000 a day after the highly transmissible omicron variant infiltrated its tight border and quarantine defenses.
Mainland officials say their experience shows a lockdown will be more effective at containing virus cases in a shorter period of time, said the people, asking not to be identified as the talks are confidential. While Hong Kong authorities insist a wholesale, full-city lockdown wouldn’t be possible, they did say in the discussions that if the number of infections continues to rise so precipitously, curbs may be imposed on areas where cases are particularly rampant, the people said.
At this stage, Beijing is just making recommendations with decision-making in Hong Kong’s hands, according to the people.