The Mainland expert delegation led by the Head of the National Health Commission's COVID-19 leading task force, Professor Liang Wannian, continued its visit in Hong Kong today (March 3). Members of the delegation visited three residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) to observe in person the anti-epidemic measures taken there.
Accompanied by the Assistant Director (Licensing and Regulation) of the Social Welfare Department (SWD), Ms Nancy Kwan, and the Head of the Infection Control Branch of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Chen Hong, the delegation members visited three RCHEs, including a contract home, a private home participating in Enhanced Bought Place Scheme and a private RCHE, in Mong Kok and Kowloon City respectively, to understand how different types of residential care homes cope with the COVID-19 epidemic on the ground.
Delegation members were briefed by the persons-in-charge of the RCHEs on their daily operation. They also heard from SWD representatives on the challenges that the fifth wave of epidemic in Hong Kong had posed to the RCHEs including the shortage of manpower. Their discussion also touched on topics such as vaccination and arrangement of virus testing for RCHE residents and staff members as well as various supporting measures provided by the Government.
Under the fifth wave of the epidemic, confirmed cases were found among staff members and/or residents in hundreds of RCHEs in Hong Kong. The SWD expresses gratitude to the delegation’s visit at this critical time and their advice offered on Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic work. The SWD will study the valuable opinions given by the experts today and explore putting in place enhanced anti-epidemic measures to provide better protection for the residents and staff members of RCHEs.
This morning, Professor Liang together with the delegation met with the Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Gabriel Leung, and his research team to exchange views.
Led by Professor Liang, the delegation came to Hong Kong on February 28. They were joined by the four epidemiological experts who arrived in Hong Kong earlier to conduct visits in Hong Kong.
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