Original version

BBC World Service South Asia

More or Less

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.

WSMOL HongKong CovidWave.jpg

BBC World Service

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

More or Less: Why has Hong Kong’s Covid wave been so bad?

Magazines & Reviews

Factual

Why has Hong Kong’s Covid wave been so bad?

27/03/2022 GMT

BBC World Service - More or Less, Why has Hong Kong’s Covid wave been so bad?

What’s behind one of the worst Covid death rates ever?

After keeping Covid at bay for two years, Hong Kong has been hit by a devastating wave. But what are the numbers that explain its surprising vulnerability?

After pursuing a largely successful ‘Zero-Covid’ strategy for two years, Hong Kong has now suffered one of the worst Covid death rates in the whole of the pandemic.
 
But what are the numbers that explain this surprising vulnerability?
 
Tim Harford spoke to Professor Ben Cowling from the University of Hong Kong to talk about the nuances of vaccination rates, Hong Kong’s ageing population, and the implications for mainland China and other ‘Zero-Covid’ countries.

Producer: Nathan Gower
Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar

(People lie in hospital beds outside the Medical Centre in Hong Kong, Feb.2022 (Credit: Peter Parks/Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

More or Less

Why has Hong Kong’s Covid wave been so bad?

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service South Asia

About BBC World Service