Political epidemic biggest curse for HK

With the special administrative region's economy and unemployment in their worst shape in years, if not decades, it has arguably never been more imperative for Hong Kong to focus on livelihood issues.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has added to the serious harm that was already being inflicted on the SAR's economy and people's livelihoods by the trade war being waged against China by the United States and the violent antics of the opposition camp.

The economy shrank by 9 percent in the second quarter compared with a year ago, the fourth consecutive quarter of year-to-year contraction, and the unemployment rate hit a decade high at 6.1 percent. Low-income residents have been especially hard hit, with those who have been made jobless or who are underemployed about eight times more than the overall rate, based on a recent survey.