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Medical professionals from the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (November 7) briefed about 250 representatives from the financial sector on the latest situation of avian influenza and advised them in formulating their own preparedness plans for an influenza pandemic.
The briefing was part of a series of forums and seminars conducted by the CHP to raise the awareness of different sectors of the community on the global threat of influenza pandemic to the human population. More than 10 forums of this kind for various sectors, including social workers, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners as well as non-governmental organisations, have been conducted by the CHP in recent months.
Acting Controller of the CHP, Dr Regina Ching said at the briefing that the Government had been working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as the Mainland and overseas counterparts in monitoring the situation.
"Hong Kong is now at the Alert Response Level, in accordance with the Framework of Government's Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic. We acknowledged that the threat of avian flu has raised international concern but there is no cause for panic as no evidence to date suggests that the virus has mutated to human-to-human transmission," she said.
Dr Ching pointed out that Hong Kong had a highly effective disease surveillance system as well as good quality and experienced medical and public health services to protect public health.
She highlighted the importance for the management of the financial sector to work out their respective preparedness plans and to stockpile sufficient personal protective equipment including surgical masks, sanitisers, and anti-pyretics.
"Should all sectors of the community formulate their respective preparedness plans and strictly observe personal and environmental hygiene, human infection of influenza or avian flu in case of a pandemic could be minimised.
"The more the sector concerned has done in formulating and fine tuning their plans, the less they would be affected and the quicker they would recover in terms of the health of staff, operation and profit of the organisation after a pandemic strike," Dr Ching said.
She noted that the CHP would continue to conduct briefings for the business sector in the coming weeks to enhance their preparedness to ensure business continuity during any flu pandemic.
"To prevent and combat influenza pandemic, the Government needs to gear up the community. The CHP will also continue to work with the community as a whole to enhance our preparedness against flu pandemic," Dr Ching stressed.
She encouraged representatives of the financial sector to observe the following eight basic steps for achieving maximum protection:
* Be prepared;
* Get vaccinated;
* Keep hands clean;
* Use mask properly;
* Know how influenza presents;
* Manage fever well;
* Practise healthy lifestyle; and
* Be resourceful.
People can also obtain correct and updated information about influenza pandemic from the CHP website (http://www.chp.gov.hk), the Central Health Education Unit's website (http://www.cheu.gov.hk) as well the 24-hour Health Educational Hotline 2833 0111.
Also attended the briefing today was the Head of CHP's Infection Control Branch, Dr Raymond Yung and the Principal Medical and Health Officer of the CHP¡¦s Emergency Response and Information Branch, Dr Ronald Lam.
Ends/Monday, November 7, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:23
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