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A comprehensive package of measures has been drawn up to ensure a swifter and better coordinated response to emergencies arising from SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, said today (September 22).

Speaking at a press conference, Dr Yeoh said this action checklist - the packaged measures - reflected the three-pronged approach adopted by the Government - 1) the implementation of comprehensive cross-community measures to prevent a resurgence of the disease; 2) adoption of an effective system for keeping the disease under surveillance; and 3) the adoption of an emergency response system to dictate swift actions to combat the disease.

Dr Yeoh said the contingency plan would help provide a clear command structure for strategic decision-making, set out distinct roles and responsibilities for different parties, and establish the line of command for launching various types of operations and the required response time where appropriate.

He said the contingency plan covered all possible scenarios and established three levels of government response:

* Alert Level - activated when (a) there are laboratory-confirmed SARS cases outside Hong Kong; or (b) there is a SARS Alert (falling within the World Health Organization definition) in Hong Kong

* Level 1 - activated when one or more laboratory-confirmed SARS cases occur in Hong Kong in a sporadic manner

* Level 2 - activated when there are signs of local transmission of the disease

At the Alert Level, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HWFB), the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) would be the main parties taking action and monitoring developments.

At Level 1 and 2 outbreaks, a high-powered steering committee would be set up to determine the Government's response.

At Level 1, if SARS cases were occurring in a sporadic manner, the steering committee would be chaired by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food. It would formulate overall disease-control strategy and decide on the measures appropriate to different scenarios.

It would also coordinate the work of DH, HA and universities in combating the disease and give direction on the overall communications strategy.

At Level 2, if there were signs that SARS had spread to the local community, the Chief Executive would assume chairmanship of the steering committee and take overall command.

The steering committee would formulate overall disease-control strategy and be responsible for decisions that would have a wider impact on the community. It would direct mobilisation of resources and draw up urgent legislative amendments and decide on measures to minimise the socio-economic impacts caused by the epidemic.

Dr Yeoh said the contingency plan had spelled out the corresponding actions to be taken by each of the key players - HWFB, DH and HA -- at the three levels.

"The contingency plan will be regularly updated and fine-tuned based on local and overseas experience and as knowledge about the disease increases," he said.

HA already has an internal alert system for early detection of and response to infectious disease outbreaks not confined to SARS. Alert Level (overseas cases) situations correspond to the Yellow Response in the hospital setting. Alert Level (local SARS alert), Level 1 and Level 2 in the contingency plan are all Red Response conditions in the hospital setting.

Apart from contingency planning, Dr Yeoh said keeping SARS under close surveillance both locally and globally was essential to the overall strategy for combating the disease.

Locally, SARS has been a statutory notifiable disease since March and all medical practitioners are required to report both diagnosed and suspected SARS cases.

The health conditions of the most vulnerable groups -- residents of homes for the elderly and healthcare workers - would be monitored closely and infection control measures adopted as appropriate.

Both groups would be vaccinated against influenza in October/November to reduce the incidence of influenza symptoms that might be mistaken for symptoms of SARS.

On partnership with our neighbours, Dr Yeoh said Hong Kong had strengthened the infectious disease notification mechanism with the Guangdong and Macao health authorities.

"There is stronger flow of information of all kinds, including infection control, notification, data analysis and medical treatment and research.

"We will also continue to maintain close communications and share data with the World Health Organization and health authorities in other countries, and contribute to the global surveillance network," he said.

On preventive measures, Dr Yeoh said concerned Government departments, non-government organisations, health professionals, community organisations and related organisations would implement preventive measures from now through the winter months.

While stepping up their own efforts, they would also urge their respective sectors or trades to take necessary precautions and to stay on alert, he said.

"We will oversee the community's collective efforts to ensure that a high level of preparedness is maintained on all fronts," he said.

Dr Yeoh said action was under way to establish an organisation similar to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen surveillance and the emergency response capabilities of the public health system.

He noted the experience gained from the SARS outbreak earlier this year had enhanced the Government's preparedness against infectious diseases in general.

"Although SARS inflicted grave losses on our community, what we have done and learned will stand us in good stead against any recurrence of SARS, or against any of the new infectious diseases that experts believe will emerge some day.

"As the director-general of the WHO has already pointed out, 'We have to prepare on the assumption that SARS will come back'.

"The battle against SARS must involve the entire community. We will only succeed if every sector of the community and every individual remains vigilant and prepared," he said.

Dr Yeoh said the Government had canvassed the initial observations of the SARS Expert Committee, some of which were included in this package of measures.

He believed the experts' recommendations, once completed, would enable the Government to further fine-tune the response system.

Also present at the press conference to announce the multi-sectoral checklist were: Director of Health, Dr Lam Ping-yan; Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr William Ho; Director of Homes Affairs, Mrs Pamela Tan; and Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Cheng Yan-chee.

Various bureaux and departments as well as sectors and trades had strengthened their preparedness against SARS by adopting precautionary measures.

They covered: the public and private health sectors, schools, residential care homes for elders and people with disabilities, elders in the community, welfare sector units, public housing, private property management, workplace, public transport, aviation sector, tourist industry, travel trade and hotels, food premises and public markets, environmental hygiene, control of animals, as well as public health education (please see the Checklist of Measures to Combat SARS for details).

Ends/Monday, September 22, 2003

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• Vigilant and Prepared - Checklist of Measures against SARS (ppt format)
• What is a SARS ALERT? (pdf format)

( Floor / Cantonese / Putonghua / English )