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Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media session given by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and representatives of relevant bureaux/departments at Central Government Offices today (March 23):
Dr Thomas Tsang, Controller, Centre for Health Protection (CHP): Do you want me to repeat in English?
Reporter: Give a summary if you may. I think a lot of people who speak English would like to hear what you have to say.
Dr Tsang Ho-fai, Thomas, Controller, CHP : As far as health advice is concerned, we are most concerned about the health of certain patients, especially those with pre-existing heart and lung conditions, for example, patients with asthma, patients with chronic lung disease or heart condition. These patients have to be especially careful during days when the air pollution is serious because they are more likely to develop symptoms. If these symptoms develop, make sure you see a doctor quickly. Another group of people that we are concerned about are students. In that regard, the Education Bureau has in its guidelines clearly stipulated during days when the Air Pollution Index exceeds 200, that certain outdoor activities involving rigorous exercise had better be postponed or cancelled. So in that regard, I think schools have been receiving guidance. For the general public, our advice is to, as far as possible, avoid rigorous exertion in outdoor activities until the air pollution comes down. These advice, I think, will help the public to prepare against the health effects of air pollution.
Reporter: English, please.
Mr Jonathan McKinley, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs: As regards the Asian Football Confederation Club match this evening between South China and Persiwa Wamena of Indonesia, obviously we are very concerned about the health of the players and the officials. We understand from the Hong Kong Football Association that the match commissioner will have a look of the conditions this evening. He will then talk to both teams and to the match officials before making decision on whether or not the match should go ahead (Note: the Asian Football Confederation later decided that the match would go ahead as scheduled). As regards the upcoming International Rugby Sevens Tournament this coming Friday to Sunday, again we obviously are very concerned about the health of the players and the officials. We have been in contact with the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union. The union will stay in contact with all the teams taking part this weekend. We will closely monitor the air quality situation and we will stay in touch with the union on this matter.
Secretary for the Environment: We have stock-taken the situation today and we are glad that around half of the monitoring stations recording Air Pollution Index below 200, and we expect the situation to further improve tomorrow, hopefully the index will come down to the range between 70 and 120.
The inter-departmental meeting that we have had just now also suggests that we will be strengthening co-ordination between departments, essentially in finding a better way to have an early notification to the public should such unprecedented situation reoccur in future.
In particular, I think the Observatory and my department, the Environmental Protection Department, will try to strengthen in what way we can share the common information, data and our networks. Because to better forecast any such events will require data both from the environmental side and also from meteorological data, which might be available in the Observatory, and also our respective networks. So in this regard, we will strengthen our information sharing so that we can better portray what we anticipate.
We are also strengthening the co-ordination among departments concerned, including representatives you have seen in this lineup, Food and Health Bureau, Department of Health, Hospital Authority, Education Bureau, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and Labour Department as well. In these departments, they might have clientele that we can better serve by better informing them, or they should take timely action to handle further situation. We have also looked at the public advice that we will be giving to the public, and as you have just heard now, Dr Tsang has in fact repeated the health advisory to the public.
Also, for the events that is upcoming likely to be affected by this problem, we have also made liaison with agencies concerned and Jonathan has just covered. I'll take questions now.
Reporter: So it obviously defeats the purpose of putting out warnings so people can get them in time to respond. Can you guarantee that measures are taken and there will be no repeat of the six-hour wait of the message at two oˇ¦clock in the morning when people are still sleeping?
Secretary for the Environment: As a matter of fact, the high API situation arising from the dust storm in the far north of mainland is unprecedented. I have mentioned that the last time we have similar situation is back in 2001. But at that time the reading was only 109 API. But this time you see the magnitude and coverage. And in fact we spare no time and effort in making sure the message is out. That is why the message was out after midnight when we saw indication that such index would be on the rise. We have also spared no time in co-ordinating with concerned departments particularly the school sector and other relevant sectors. So we thank the electronic media for being able to carry the news immediately after we have issued the news. But obviously I think that if there could be other ways to further shorten the time period or having more data so that we can inform the public earlier. We will certainly give it a try.
Reporter: Mr Secretary, ˇKobviously something didn't work. Why do you want to strengthen the coordination?
Secretary for the Environment: Well, because the situation that we entered into in the last day or so was rather unprecedented. We have not had such sort of high API arising from a sandstorm. Building on existing mechanism where departments are working closely, if there are any other ways that we can further enhance it, I think, we will certainly go for it.
Reporter: I want to know from the doctor. What are the levels at which the athletes might be putting themselves at risk if they compete outside? What will trigger the decision to go ahead or not with the Sevens?
Dr Tsang: As we explained, we had contacted the organisers of these events to inform them about the current situation and the possible health hazards of air pollution. Of course, these are professional athletes and they also have medical doctors, many of them, to look after their health situation. I think the health of individual athlete has to be assessed on a case by case basis, based on their past health and other relevant factors.
Reporter: At what levels they will put themselves at risk?
Dr Tsang: As I said, we cannot provide a figure because it depends on the individual athlete or the individual person, what kind of medical condition that he or she has. So under that kind of circumstances, I think the medical doctor in charge of the athlete will be in the best position to determine the situation.
Reporter: Please give us an update on working with the Mainland and regional parties so that we can have sufficient information to give an early forecast. How much earlier would you be able to release such information in the future?
Secretary for the Environment: In the last few days, when we tackled the current situation, we have had communication with our counterparts, say, in the Mainland. Clearly, given this rather unprecedented case and looking forward, we will work much closer with our two departments, the Observatory and the Environmental Protection Department, using our respective network with neighbouring countries or areas to see if we can better take advantage of information they might have, so that we can portray a better picture and we can be better prepared for the future.
Reporter: What are the criteria you are going to use to determine whether or not to go ahead with the Rugby Sevens?
Mr Jonathan McKinley, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs: The decision will be with the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, the organiser, in consultation with the teams, and they will obviously be looking very carefully at the questions related to the playersˇ¦ health and the officialsˇ¦ health.
Reporter: ... any recommendations?
Mr Jonathan McKinley, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs: All the information about the air quality will be available to the teams and to the Rugby Football Union before they make any decision on the way forward. We will stay in very close contact with them and as soon as theyˇ¦ve decided to make a decision, we will know. They havenˇ¦t yet told us exactly when they are going to make that decision.
Reporter: ... already damage HK if it may not be able to hold the Rugby Sevens?
Mr Jonathan McKinley: No, I wouldn't say that.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Issued at HKT 21:33
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