Resident line up to get tested for the coronavirus at a temporary testing center in Sha Tin, Hong Kong, Feb 17, 2022. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong's political and medical leaders on Friday appealed to the city to present a united effort and beat off the worst-ever wave of COVID-19 outbreak as the city's medical system comes under huge strain.
Their appeals came in response to a call by Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, who in a Friday afternoon meeting called on all sectors in the city to contribute what they can to help Hong Kong overcome the pandemic crisis.
The meeting proposed 16 measures outlining how communities can contribute their anti-pandemic efforts to the fight against the virus and address the city's problems and residents' concerns.
Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu recognized various sectors' joint efforts and contribution to the virus battle, saying anti-pandemic work needs the whole society's participation and cooperation
Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, lawmaker and barrister, said she's thankful that Luo encouraged the different sectors to jointly fight the pandemic and to come up with initiatives, including encouraging local and Chinese mainland-invested enterprises in Hong Kong to allow their hotels, parts of shopping malls and office buildings to be used by the government for quarantine purposes and as temporary vaccination stations.
Leung agreed that medical workers from the mainland should be greenlighted to come to Hong Kong to assist in testing and medical treatment work.
"People's lives should always be put first," Leung noted, adding that different sectors and people from all walks of life should unite to confront the crisis.
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Attending Friday's meeting, Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu expressed his full support for President Xi Jinping's instructions and expressed gratitude to the liaison office's effort in mobilizing various enterprises, social groups and district forces to fight the pandemic.
Lee also recognized various sectors' joint efforts and contribution to the virus battle, saying anti-pandemic work needs the whole society's participation and cooperation.
Mainland experts and Hong Kong health officials hold discussions at the Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong, Feb 18, 2022. (PHOTO/HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
Noting that the pandemic now is the city's only enemy, Lee promised that the Hong Kong government will make full efforts and introduce all possible measures to safeguard every resident's health and defeat the virus.
Kevin Lau Chung-hang, a radiologist and a steering committee member of the Child Development Fund, said that the government should encourage more retired civil servants to assist in maintaining order at testing stations and being responsible for some logistics work
Kevin Lau Chung-hang, a radiologist and a steering committee member of the Child Development Fund, said that the government should encourage more retired civil servants to assist in maintaining order at testing stations and being responsible for some logistics work.
Private medical institutions could get involved in the battle against the outbreak and be mainly in charge of the medical treatment of patients who have mild symptoms of COVID-19 or are not infected with the virus, while public hospitals could be mainly responsible for those with severe symptoms, Lau said.
He added this can help to ease the stress on the city's public medical system.
Lau also expressed gratitude for the central government's support to Hong Kong. With mainland medical experts, anti-pandemic equipment and facilities and manpower, the city is able to improve its testing capacity and have more quarantine facilities in a short time, he said.
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Noting the government's plan for citywide testing, Lau said it is imperative to conduct such mass testing and the government should do it as soon as possible when it has enhanced its testing capacity.
