Residents line up to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in a playground in Tseung Kwan O district on Feb 21, 2022. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong urgently needs support from medical experts on the Chinese mainland to contain the raging coronavirus, legislators said on Tuesday, adding that they have full confidence in the city’s ability to defeat the pandemic with support from the central government.

They also called for more government measures to better coordinate and make use of the medical resources.

The remarks came as the city reported 6,211 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

Hong Kong currently needs those medical resources to placate anxious citizens and contain the fifth wave of the pandemic. More medical personnel are needed as many HK people who worry about being infected flood into hospital, or else the infected people might not receive timely medical assistance.

Erik Yim Kong, the Legislative Council member representing the Commercial (Third) Functional Constituency

The central government has already sent two medical teams to Hong Kong to help the city fight the pandemic, and neighboring Guangdong province is forming a third team.

But there are still some legal hurdles to bringing in more veteran doctors and nurses to the city, as they do not have the licenses required to practice in Hong Kong, the legislators said.

Offering licensing exemptions to nonlocal medical practitioners could be considered, they said.

“In special circumstances, the Hong Kong government could take special measures,” said Erik Yim Kong, the Legislative Council member representing the Commercial (Third) Functional Constituency.

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“Hong Kong currently needs those medical resources to placate anxious citizens and contain the fifth wave of the pandemic. More medical personnel are needed as many Hong Kong people who worry about being infected flood into hospital, or else the infected people might not receive timely medical assistance,” he said.

Jimmy Ng Wing-ka, who represents LegCo’s Industrial (Second) Functional Constituency, echoed Yim’s views, suggesting that the Hong Kong government let more medical practitioners from the mainland practice in the city. This would also relieve the pressure on Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority, he said.

Perry Yiu Pak-leung, Tourism Sector lawmaker, said that increasing doctors and nurses would help considerably as the current medical system in Hong Kong cannot afford such a great number of cases. “The support from the central government promotes our confidence to fight against the coronavirus,” he said.

The team of the mainland epidemiological experts exchange views with representatives from the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), the Home Affairs Department (HAD), and the Department of Health (DH) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, in Hong Kong, Feb 20, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Perry Yiu Pak-leung, Tourism Sector lawmaker, said that increasing doctors and nurses would help considerably as the current medical system in Hong Kong cannot afford such a great number of cases

He also suggested the Hong Kong government take measures to promote the speed of testing, so that residents can receive their results and get quarantined as soon as possible if they test positive.

In addition, Yim suggested the Hong Kong government encourage more local private hospitals and private doctors to join together to fight the pandemic, and provide more acceptable service prices for patients.

He said registered practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine can also be made use of to provide services for residents to alleviate the shortage of medical resources. Also, tele-health services such as long-distance diagnosis via video can be used for mild COVID-19 cases and patients with other diseases, he added.

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"With leadership and support from the central government, I am confident that we can mobilize all resources, build a consensus and unite as one to fight against the pandemic. But it takes time. We hope the outbreak could be brought under control within two months,” Yim said.