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Written by: comment editing room
2020-11-12 06:30
Last update date: 2020-11-12 06:30
The Centre for Health Protection announced on Tuesday (10th) cases of upper respiratory tract infections in nine schools, involving one child care center, two kindergarten-cum-child care centers, four kindergartens, one elementary school and special school.
The new crown pneumonia epidemic in Hong Kong is not over. Under the current epidemic prevention measures, schools still have outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infections. The authorities really need to check whether the existing epidemic prevention measures are adequate.
At present, there are 9 schools with upper respiratory tract infection cases, and a total of 295 students are unwell. Among them, the Yau Yi Village School in Kowloon Tong has the largest number of infected children, involving 65 people.
From October 31 to 3 pm on Tuesday, a total of 99 schools and institutions had outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection, and a total of 1,066 people were recruited.
The Centre for Health Protection will distribute deep-throat saliva sample bottles to these schools with outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infections to test the teachers and students of the affected classes for the new crown virus, and recommend that the classes be suspended for no less than three days.
Upper respiratory tract infection is a common disease.
Respiratory system specialist Liang Zichao said on the radio program that the current cold weather and air pollution in autumn and winter, low awareness of children's hygiene, and increased contact with each other after school resumes, may increase the risk of cross-infection and cause multiple infections in kindergartens.
Upper respiratory tract infections are usually spread through droplets, contact or air, which is different from the spread of the new coronavirus. Liang Zichao also believes that schools may not be related to the new coronavirus group infection.
The Centre for Health Protection announced on Tuesday (10th) cases of upper respiratory tract infections in nine schools, involving one child care center, two kindergarten-cum-child care centers, four kindergartens, one elementary school and special school.
(Profile picture/Photo by Deng Yinglin)
Reviewing epidemic prevention measures to relieve parents' concerns
The outbreak of new crown pneumonia in Hong Kong this year has improved the school's epidemic prevention measures compared to the previous ones. However, as the school resumed physical classrooms, a large number of infections still occurred in the school within a short period of time. Whether the existing epidemic prevention measures can resist the spread of the virus has also aroused public concern.
The Education Bureau should work with the Centre for Health Protection to study whether schools with outbreaks of infection have loopholes in epidemic prevention.
For example, whether epidemic prevention measures and school activities bring transmission risks for upper respiratory tract infections.
It is true that the transmission routes of the two are not the same, and the public should not be overly worried about the epidemic. However, in order to ensure the health of students and prevent the spread of upper respiratory infections from causing a burden on medical care, the Education Bureau can still assist schools in strengthening epidemic prevention measures to prevent school children Cross infection between.
After the school resumed face-to-face courses, there were a large number of infection cases in the school, and there were cases in many kindergartens and child care centers. It is not difficult for parents to feel worried.
In addition to distributing deep throat saliva sample bottles to test the new coronavirus for teachers and students in the affected classes, the Department of Health should also consider testing to find out the type of virus that is currently breaking out, and to understand what kind of virus is the upper respiratory tract infection that is breaking out. To relieve the doubts of parents and schools.
The government should develop a mandatory testing plan
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