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From Crisis to Insight: Navigating Public Health Challenges in an Aging Society—Lessons from Hong Kong’s COVID-19 Experience

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Abstract

This article critically examines the experience of Hong Kong (HK) with the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the urgent need for effective public health responses in an aging society. As one of the world’s fastest aging societies, Hong Kong’s vulnerability to the consequences of pandemics is particularly pronounced due to low birth rates and high life expectancies. The city has experienced multiple waves of the COVID-19 virus, with the fifth wave causing some of the highest mortality rates in the world. However, through continuous learning and adaptation, HK’s public health response has evolved to combat the crisis effectively. The discussion aims to highlight the importance of drawing from both positive and negative lessons from past epidemics and the critical role of public health systems in ensuring the well-being of older adults and the wider community. It emphasizes the need for sustained efforts to maintain and strengthen public health systems to tackle the ongoing and future public health challenges in an aging society.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HKSAR and the University of Manchester, UK for providing me with invaluable opportunities and resources to pursue my academic and professional goals. I would like to thank Sanchit Lal for his time and insightful comments during the preparation of my manuscript.

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This study received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong

    Mohana Das

  2. University of Manchester, SEED, Manchester, UK

    Mohana Das

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Correspondence to Mohana Das.

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Das, M. From Crisis to Insight: Navigating Public Health Challenges in an Aging Society—Lessons from Hong Kong’s COVID-19 Experience. J Urban Health 100, 852–859 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-023-00760-9

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