Secretary for Health inspects COVID-19 treatment and quarantine facilities (with photos)
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Accompanied by the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan, and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, Professor Lo first inspected the central command centre and work stations of the Treatment Centre for COVID-19 (AWE) managed by the HA to gain a better understanding about the positioning of the community treatment facilities and the co-ordination arrangements of the COVID-19 patient flow under the multi-tiered triage and treatment strategy. He then proceeded to Hall 3 of AWE which serves as a temporary quarantine centre managed by the Social Welfare Department. With medical support by the Department of Health, the centre provides round-the-clock care services for residents of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) and residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs), who are identified as close contacts and subject to quarantine.
He then went to inspect the laboratory and command centre at the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre where he received a briefing by the healthcare personnel on its daily operation.
Professor Lo said, "Currently, the number of daily confirmed case of COVID-19 in Hong Kong is approaching 3 000, and more than 300 patients are being hospitalised in the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre. If the overall situation of infection continues to rise, that will inevitably exert an impact on the workload and services of hospitals, leading to severe pressure on the healthcare system. Non-COVID-19 patients may even fail to receive timely treatment as a consequence. As such, the HA has formulated various contingency plans, so that treatment facilities such as the Treatment Centre for COVID-19 (AWE) can be activated within a short timeframe in reaction to the epidemic development to meet the needs. We would rather get things ready for standby than being unprepared when needs arise. Therefore, we must protect key premises like hospitals, isolation facilities, RCHEs and RCHDs, with a view to preventing large-scale outbreaks of COVID-19 in these premises.
"Nucleic acid testing is an important tool in identifying confirmed patients. Currently, on top of the daily rapid antigen test, we are also requiring all staff of RCHEs and RCHDs to undergo nucleic acid tests on a regular basis, so as to ensure a more comprehensive protection to the elderly. Furthermore, we will continue to require persons of high-risk/high-exposure to undergo regular testing, including all staff of the HA and staff of quarantine centres."
Professor Lo stressed that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will stick to the science-based approach to fight the epidemic on the principle of precision, putting full effort in protecting residents of RCHEs and RCHDs, the elderly and healthcare personnel, and ensuring that Hong Kong's public healthcare system can swiftly respond to the challenges posed by the epidemic.
Ends/Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Issued at HKT 21:14
Issued at HKT 21:14
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