Go to main content
 
LCQ20: Community isolation and treatment facilities
***************************************************
     Following is a question by the Hon Shang Hailong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (January 18):

Question:

     There are views that in the light of the Government's adjustment to its epidemic containment measures, various community isolation and treatment facilities (e.g. the Emergency Hospital and Mobile Cabin Facility located in the Lok Ma Chau Loop, and the community isolation and treatment facilities located in Tsing Yi and Kai Tak) have already served their historical mission. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the Government's plans to handle the aforesaid anti-epidemic facilities constructed with the assistance of the Central Government;

(2) which government official is in charge of the handling of such facilities; and

(3) whether it has considered making good and comprehensive use of such facilities to provide services for workers, young people and the grassroots in need?

Reply:

President,

     In consultation with the Security Bureau, the Development Bureau and the Department of Health, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Shang Hailong is as follows:

     The Government will, depending on the health risk, care needs and transmission risk in the household of infected persons, make arrangements for them according to the multi-tiered triage and treatment strategy for suitable treatment or isolation. Infected persons with no obvious symptoms who have to be isolated somewhere other than their household due to their care needs or household environment will be arranged to be admitted into community isolation facilities (CIFs) to reduce the risk of transmission. At the beginning of the outbreak of the fifth wave of the epidemic in early 2022, CIFs were in acute shortage at that time, and the capacity of CIFs could not keep up with the demand of persons requiring isolation. With the full support of the Central Government, construction of eight CIFs (including six Mobile Cabin Facilities in Tsing Yi, San Tin, Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Fanling, Hung Shui Kiu and Yuen Long, as well as CIFs in Kai Tak and Phases 5 and 6 of Penny's Bay) had completed quickly within four months as standby facilities to assist in combatting the fifth wave of the epidemic. At its peak, the occupancy rate of individual CIFs reached up to 90 per cent. Currently the Penny's Bay CIF is still in operation, providing suitable isolation facilities for persons tested COVID-19 positive to reduce transmission risks. Meanwhile, the remaining seven CIFs have been put into standby mode. 

     For treatment facilities, the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre constructed under Central Government's support has been assisting in the treatment of COVID-19 patients since its launch into service in early 2021, playing an important role under the multi-tiered triage and treatment strategy in Hong Kong. The facility is still in operation. As for the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital and Mobile Cabin Facility located in Lok Ma Chau Loop, it was handed over to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in December 2022 for operation and management. The relevant bureaux and departments of the HKSAR Government and the Hospital Authority had already commenced on-site visits to make suitable preparations for arrangements of the facilities.

     During the epidemic, the Government established an inter-departmental Anti-epidemic Steering Committee cum Command Centre led by the Chief Executive to formulate strategies and initiatives having regard to the epidemic development, which included the construction and usage of quarantine and isolation facilities. The current-term Government established the Command and Coordination Group to initiate and co-ordinate adjustments and implementation of various policies of bureaux and departments under needs arising from anti-epidemic proposals, including overseeing the usage of various CIFs. Having considered the latest development of the epidemic, the Government would actively consider the feasibility of transforming those CIFs confirmed not necessary for anti-epidemic purposes into other non-anti-epidemic usages in an orderly manner, with a view to make optimal use of valuable land resources and resume normalcy in the society.
 
Ends/Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Issued at HKT 15:53
NNNN
Today's Press Releases