(Combating New Coronary Pneumonia) Summary: Two Months of Epidemic Prevention in Hong Kong

China News Agency, Hong Kong, March 25th. Topic: Hong Kong's February epidemic

China News Agency reporter Zeng Ping

As the new crown pneumonia epidemic continues to spread overseas, and a large number of Hong Kong residents studying or working abroad return to Hong Kong, Hong Kong, once the epidemic has been basically controlled, is facing severe tests again. In response to the rapidly changing epidemic situation, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has taken unprecedented severe measures to strengthen epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic, hoping to win the war against epidemics.

On January 4th, which is still in the "zero diagnosis" stage, the SAR government has been waiting to launch a "serious" contingency level. Public hospitals have begun to implement more stringent infection control arrangements such as restricted visits. On January 23, the first confirmed case was found in Hong Kong. On January 25 two days later, the SAR government raised the emergency level to the highest level of "urgent" and officially launched a virus sniper war.

Today, two months have passed, and no large-scale community outbreak has occurred in Hong Kong, which has extensive links with the mainland and overseas. Behind it, the anti-epidemic measures of the SAR Government and the high awareness of Hong Kong citizens have played a key role.

The first is to strictly control imported cases and cut off the virus transmission chain. In response to changes in the outbreak of the Mainland, the SAR government has successively adopted measures such as restricting the entry of Hubei residents, closing down multiple land and sea and land cross-border port passenger services, and forcing all immigrants from the Mainland to undergo home quarantine. As the overseas epidemic heats up, the SAR government will gradually expand from red outbound travel warnings to some countries or regions with severe outbreaks to all overseas countries after assessment. At the same time, all overseas immigrants must be quarantined. As of March 23, the SAR Government announced that all non-Hong Kong residents will be prohibited from entering Hong Kong from overseas on March 25, and that Hong Kong International Airport will suspend all transit services.

Furthermore, it is to expand the detection of viruses to the greatest extent, and to identify possible asymptomatic patients as soon as possible. To support the "enclosing" epidemic prevention policy, the Hong Kong Hospital Authority has expanded the "Strengthening Laboratory Surveillance Plan" for many times since mid-January this year. All public hospitals, private hospitals and private doctors in Hong Kong should have fever or symptoms of upper respiratory tract Patients, or those with travel records, will require patients to undergo a test for new crown virus. This method allows many patients who are not aware of the infection to be found in advance. When the number of overseas imported cases increased by double digits every day, the SAR government has set up two temporary testing centers near the airport since March 20. Immigrants with symptoms must test the virus at the centre and wait for results. Those who do not have symptoms will receive a sample collection bottle, take a deep throat saliva sample at home, and return it to the designated clinic at the designated time by the family. At present, this measure has gradually covered every asymptomatic person arriving in Hong Kong from Europe and the United States. In addition, the CHP tracks every confirmed close contact in detail and will publicize relevant epidemiological investigations.

The last is to reduce social contact and maintain a high level of epidemic awareness. In response to the latest development of the epidemic, the SAR government plans to temporarily ban the sale and supply of alcohol in restaurants and bars, and several government departments will suspend some services from March 23, and require private clubs to stop opening recreational and sports facilities. In addition, due to the profound memories of SARS in 2003, and long-standing expert appeals, media dissemination and other factors, Hong Kong citizens have consciously maintained a high degree of epidemic prevention. Wearing masks, washing hands, and disinfecting frequently have become daily habits. Some experts have explained that in addition to protecting themselves, wearing masks is also one of the ways to prevent the spread of virus in patients with no symptoms.

The fight against epidemics in Hong Kong is still ongoing. Hong Kong Chief Executive Lin Zheng Yue'e said that in the past two months, Hong Kong citizens have made concerted efforts to maintain social distances as far as possible to achieve certain results in the epidemic, but the recent increase in overseas import cases has made the situation critical. Therefore, she called on every citizen to endure the inconvenience of life, and at the same time, compulsory quarantine must strictly observe the quarantine order.

"I am convinced that as long as everyone is united and work together, we will win this war of epidemic resistance," said Lin Zhengyue. (Finish)