The quarantine period for some people arriving in Hong Kong has been extended to 14 days, doctors worry about the shortfall in the third wave of the epidemic

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Written by: Li Enci

2021-04-02 12:00

Last update date: 2021-04-02 12:00

Since December last year, the government has required people arriving from overseas to undergo compulsory quarantine on the 21st and a deep throat saliva test on the 19th.

The government announced today (April 1) that it will shorten the quarantine period to 14 days for people arriving from Australia, New Zealand or Singapore, and conduct self-monitoring for the next 7 days. The government is also considering shortening the vaccinated people by 21 days. Quarantine regulations.

Since December last year, a total of 15 imported cases in Hong Kong were tested positive only on the 19th day of arrival.

Respiratory specialist Liang Zichao criticized that the government’s relaxation of measures was “have hastily” and failed to learn from the heavy lesson of the third wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong after the short-term reset last year.

He said that more than a hundred countries have had variant viruses, and even if the people are vaccinated, they cannot be absolutely prevented. "The consequences of the variant viruses flowing into the community are disastrous." He also pointed out that the self-monitoring arrangement was ineffective, because 80% of imported cases did not show up Symptoms cannot be monitored.

▼From April 1st, arrangements for epidemic prevention measures and discussions on travel bubbles ▼

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After completing the 14-day quarantine period, only self-monitoring is required

The government announced that people who arrive in Hong Kong on or after April 9 and have only stayed in Australia, New Zealand or Singapore 21 days before or on the day of arrival will have the mandatory quarantine period reduced to 14 days, and they will have to do so afterwards Self-monitoring is carried out within 7 days, and compulsory testing will be carried out on the 19th day of arrival in Hong Kong.

Relevant persons are still required to undergo compulsory quarantine at designated quarantine hotels.

In addition, the government is also considering adjusting the compulsory quarantine requirements for arrivals who have stayed in other non-high-risk areas.

If the person concerned has completed the vaccination, the 21-day compulsory quarantine requirement can be shortened, but a certain period of self-monitoring and additional compulsory testing are still required.

Liang Zichao, a specialist in respiratory system.

(Profile picture)

15 imported cases were recorded in 4 months, and the samples were tested positive on the 19th day

According to the Department of Health, since December last year, a total of 15 imported cases in Hong Kong were tested positive only on the 19th day of arrival.

Respiratory specialist Liang Zichao said that shortening the quarantine period for people arriving in Hong Kong from low-risk areas is "barely acceptable." I believe that Australia, New Zealand and Singapore have good foreign antivirus measures, and the domestic epidemic is not severe, but local testing for variant viruses The gene sequencing work is also reliable.

However, Liang said that variant viruses have appeared in more than 100 countries, and even if the people are vaccinated, they cannot be absolutely prevented. In many of these countries, genetic sequencing may not be fast and accurate.

He worries about the high risk of relaxing the quarantine arrangements in the middle-risk areas. "The consequences of the mutant virus flowing into the community are disastrous." He criticized the government for easing the measures too hastily, failing to learn from the third wave of outbreaks in Hong Kong after the local cases were briefly cleared in the middle of last year The heavy lesson.

▼On March 22, Chief Executive Carrie Lam led the Secretary to receive the second dose of Kexing vaccine▼

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80% of imported cases are asymptomatic

Regarding the government's request for self-monitoring of people arriving in Hong Kong after quarantine, Liang Zichao bluntly said: "It is useless and self-contradictory." He explained that 80% of imported cases are asymptomatic and cannot be monitored; if they arrive in Hong Kong on the 15th day Wandering around between the 20th day poses a very high risk to the community.

He cited as an example that a 73-year-old Nepalese female patient (#5110) had an extremely long incubation period and was diagnosed more than 20 days after arriving in Hong Kong. After completing the quarantine, it formed a transmission chain in the community and was regarded as the source of the fourth wave of epidemics by the outside world. one.

Liang Zichao suggested that when the government chooses to relax the quarantine area, it should consider whether the local epidemic situation is well controlled, and ensure that the local screening for variant viruses is sufficient.

In addition, he pointed out that airports and aircraft also have cross-infection risks. The authorities should divert people from low-risk and medium-risk areas to avoid contagion.

The government will send designated flights on the 21st and 28th of this month to stop Hong Kong people from the United Kingdom, South Africa and others back to Hong Kong in London

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