2020 has truly put everything to the test. This year we have seen COVID-19 forcing everyone to adopt a new habit of wearing a mask, and the price skyrocketed as the most sought-after item early in the year. Those who couldn't get their hands on one had to become creative.
We were also pressured to change our daily routine with working from home arrangements continually changing, scrapping plans to travel outside the city, dine in a restaurant or drink in a bar.
Now we have to add one item - a mask, among the must-have things, like a key, mobile phone, identity card and money, before heading out.
The butterfly effect didn't stop there. It soon threw almost all industries into dismay as with little flow of people, the planes have been grounded; shops and schools have been closed. Millions of people have been tested for the coronavirus, voluntarily or mandatorily.
Everything began to shift online. Classes have been taught online. Conferences and expos are being held online. Shows and concerts are being broadcast online live. E-commerce seems to have taken off in Hong Kong when physical distancing is in place.
Despite the pandemic, chaotic scenes remained a constant in the Legislative Council when the opposition camp tried numerous stunts to fight for control of the House Committee, a key organ of the Council.
Yet among the chaos, we were able to regain order and peace on the streets with the National Security Law for Hong Kong enacted on June 30. The legislation, which outlaws four types of national security-endangering acts, has led to some separatist political groups disbanding and activists fleeing the city.
As this year nears the end, China Daily presents you some of the memorable snapshots of the city we live in. Some have found 2020 an eventful year. Some found it unbearable. I doubt any one will have a hard time bidding farewell to 2020.
Now, just one more question: Did you get your expected grade in this test by being able to adapt?
Street sweepers reach out for free face masks distributed by members of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong in Tai Po on Feb 14. Parker Zheng / China Daily
A passenger wearing medical gloves rides on the MTR on April 2. Calvin Ng / China Daily
A child with protective gear holds a book at a book shop in Tsim Sha Tsui on March 31. Hong Kong saw double-digit growth in confirmed cases in late March. Edmond Tang / China Daily
A resident eats his take-away lunch standing on a sidewalk in Tseung Kwan O on July 29 after the government banned dine-in services in restaurants. Calvin Ng / China Daily
Residents wait in line for COVID-19 tests next to Richland Gardens in Choi Hung on Dec 10. Parker Zheng / China Daily
Hundreds of beds are set up at AsiaWorld-Expo, a new space designated for stable COVID-19 patients by local health authorities starting from Aug 1. Calvin Ng / China Daily
Airplanes of Cathy Pacific Airways, Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways remain grounded at Hong Kong International Airport on March 10. In October, Cathay Pacific slashed 8,500 positions and closed its regional Cathay Dragon brand due to the impact of the pandemic. Edmond Tang / China Daily
A flag-raising ceremony is held at Golden Bauhinia Square to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China on July 1. Parker Zheng / China Daily
A passenger wearing anti-infection gear pushes a trolley at Hong Kong International Airport on March 18. Parker Zheng / China Daily
A security guard is knocked on the ground during clashes in the Legislative Council chamber on May 8. Tensions got heated in the legislature after then-opposition lawmaker Dennis Kwok Wing-hang blocked the House Committee from electing a chairman for over six months. Parker Zheng / China Daily
Security guards carry a lawmaker out of the chamber during the chaos on May 8. Parker Zheng / China Daily
Opposition lawmakers holding placards protest during the pandemonium in the House on May 8. Calvin Ng / China Daily
A woman wears a handmade face shield made from a plastic bottle to protect herself at a supermarket in Stanley on March 14. Edmond Tang / China Daily
