【明報專訊】YESTERDAY (August 19) the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hit an all-month low, while the latest unemployment rate dropped slightly. All this can be regarded as "good news". However, the government and the public must not be complacent. For the statistics merely mean that the situation has not deteriorated. The foundations of Hong Kong's fight against the pandemic and the current economic situation are very fragile. If the pandemic is not effectively controlled, economic recovery will not be possible. Chief Executive Carrie Lam is preparing a new policy address. It is hoped that she will put forward a set of viable strategies for combating the pandemic and restarting the economy so that Hong Kong can effectively control the pandemic and the economy can be back on track rather than continue to sink. Furthermore, the government needs to review the medium- and long-term fiscal situation. If there is a structural deficit, it must formulate a response strategy as soon as possible to avoid an impact on the overall economy.