London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

New guidebook aims to help Hongkongers beat quarantine stress

New guidebook aims to help Hongkongers beat quarantine stress

University of Hong Kong professors compile 14-day wellness guide, with drawing and rearranging furniture among top tips for staying sane while in lockdown.

The mental health of Hong Kong’s residents has come under the spotlight with thousands quarantining in tiny spaces amid the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, but experts have said simple activities such as drawing or even rearranging furniture could ease the stress.

A group of professors from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have compiled a “14-day Wellcation” guidebook to provide mental health support for those in isolation.

The booklet, consisting of practical tips, daily readings, and personal reflection questions, was put together after they collected information from people who went through the 14-day isolation process, said Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at HKU.

“We’re not just dealing with a public health crisis, but putting people under quarantine also causes a lot of mental stress and we need to address this oversight,” Yip said.


A group of professors from the University of Hong Kong have produced a guidebook to provide mental health support for those in isolation.


While stuck in the same room for two weeks, the guidebook recommends people make their space feel as much like home as possible. Suggestions include creating an area for a quick YouTube workout, while setting up a little work-from-home corner could also boost productivity.

Daily readings on kindness, the love of learning, and spirituality also aim to help those in isolation achieve a more relaxed frame of mind.

A surge of overseas students and families returning to the city over the Christmas period, with more to come during the new year holidays, has left thousands of people largely isolated over the festive season.

In the midst of a fourth wave of coronavirus infections, Hong Kong recorded another 74 new cases on Sunday, after confirming 109 infections the day before. The city’s official tally now stands at 8,152 cases, with 129 related deaths.

Travellers returning to Hong Kong from overseas have to quarantine in one of 36 designated hotels, while people deemed close contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases, or those living on estates with growing clusters of infections, have been sent to government-run quarantine camps.

According to the Department of Health, more than 568,000 people entering Hong Kong from mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, and other overseas locations, had been quarantined this year, as of December 19.

But Yip said there had been hardly any effort made to provide mental health assistance to those in quarantine.

“Whenever we hear about the government’s rules, it’s always about sending people to quarantine and stopping social engagements,” he said. “There’s never enough attention paid to [giving] emotional support to those in quarantine.”

Edward Pinkney, who helped draft the English version of the guidebook, said staying in touch with family members and colleagues had been an important outlet for him after quarantining when he returned to Hong Kong from Britain last month.

“We hope that they will say how they’re feeling day to day, and then we can use that to learn and improve the support we provide in the quarantine facilities,” he said.

He also encouraged people in quarantine to use the book as a mental wellness exercise and to keep track of their mood while in isolation.

One of those interviewed for the guidebook, a doctoral student who only gave her name as Michelle, said she had experienced ups and downs while quarantining alone at home.

Having returned to Hong Kong in September, she said there were days when she would binge-watch Netflix, or nibble on snacks endlessly, which left her feeling unproductive.

“During the 14 days I had a lot of time for self-reflection, so I worked on setting a routine and developing a positive mindset,” she said, adding she documented her two weeks on social media as a way to help process her thoughts.

Yip said the mental health guidebook had been well-received by the Department of Health and several of the designated hotels, and hoped facilities would distribute the booklet to help people get through the fortnight on their own.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×