After Cathay Pacific arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany within a week, three freighter pilots were diagnosed at home during the quarantine exemption period. "Hong Kong 01" learned that Cathay Pacific has further tightened the guidelines for the exemption of crew members from returning to Hong Kong.
The Chief Executive Carrie Lam said before attending the executive meeting this morning (16th) that the relevant arrangements will be introduced by the Transport and Housing Bureau and Cathay Pacific after a few days of negotiations.
According to reports, the government intends to further tighten measures, requiring crew members to undergo a 14-day home quarantine after returning to Hong Kong.
Lam Cheng responded that he has not read the relevant reports, but the government will keep monitoring and adopt more stringent measures when necessary. He also pointed out that for the daily life of Hong Kong people, it is impossible not to make special arrangements for sea, land and air freight personnel. If the tightening is tightened in the future, the public will be Life has an impact.
She also pointed out that the government will tighten arrangements when necessary. The incident has not affected the negotiation with the Mainland for customs clearance, and the relevant work is still going on.
However, He Boliang, the director of the Infection and Infectious Diseases Center of the University of Hong Kong, said that the crew members were exempted from quarantine after returning to Hong Kong, which is a "time bomb" for epidemic prevention, and said bluntly: "Cargo crew members are the biggest obstacle to relations with the Mainland."
Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said that Hong Kong society must operate normally. The crew, seafarers, and cross-border freight drivers are exempt from quarantine. The starting point is not for individual industries, but for the normal operation of society. Therefore, the smooth operation of air and sea transportation is important to Hong Kong society. The government has further cancelled most of the quarantine exemption arrangements, but if there are no incoming goods, I don't know how the society works.
She pointed out that the three pilots who were infected this time returned to Hong Kong from the same destination and stayed in the same hotel in Frankfurt. Therefore, the center took further action. Those who have stayed in relevant hotels in the local area will be quarantined after returning to Hong Kong. 21 sky.
She said that 130 freighter pilots were involved this time. If there are one or two more similar incidents, there may be no more freighter pilots on duty, which will have a great impact on Hong Kong's cargo.
She emphasized that the government is not completely letting go. It has close contact with airlines. For example, crew members staying overseas should also be closed-loop.
She pointed out that Cathay Pacific’s recent tightening of arrangements is a measure that the Transport and Housing Bureau and Cathay Pacific have negotiated for a few days. The government will maintain monitoring; when necessary, it will only use more stringent measures.
He Boliang, Director of the Infection and Infectious Diseases Center of the University of Hong Kong.
(Profile picture)
He Boliang approves new measures "no soup, no water" and home quarantine should be lifted
However, Ho Pak-liang, director of the Infection and Infectious Diseases Center of the University of Hong Kong, stated on a radio program this morning that the crew members were exempted from quarantine after returning to Hong Kong, which is a "time bomb" for epidemic prevention. ".
He criticized Cathay Pacific’s new measures as "unlogical and extremely strange arrangements," and believed that home isolation is not an effective measure. Once diagnosed, it may infect family members living with it.
He Bailiang believes that the new measures are not safe. If they are infected, they may spread to their family members during home isolation, but their family members can go out without restrictions on their activities. He described the measures as "no soup, no water."
He added that most of the cases were diagnosed during the first 7 days of the quarantine period. If serious prevention is required, the home quarantine should be cancelled and go to a designated place for quarantine for at least 7 days
.
JPMorgan Chase executives exempted from inspection Lam Cheng: risk is controllable
In addition, some senior JPMorgan Chase executives came to Hong Kong to be exempted from quarantine arrangements and asked whether the government has restrictions on their travel.
Lam Cheng responded that when the Executive Council passed the subsidiary legislation on epidemic prevention in Chapter 599 of the law, there was a Chapter 599 (C) for people arriving in Hong Kong from the Mainland and a Chapter 599 (E) for people arriving in Hong Kong from foreign countries, setting out the situation. The following will be exempted.
Lam Cheng said that the government has cancelled most of the group exemptions earlier, and there are only seldom used personal exemptions, including some epidemic prevention needs, government actions, and major economic interests. For example, if she herself returns to Hong Kong on business from other places, Also exempted.
She said that the relevant individual exemption is generally proposed by the Policy Bureau and approved by the Chief Secretary for Administration. This exemption is based on economic reasons and involves "multiple days of work", and the person's entire trip is restricted and the risk is controllable.
There may be an undercurrent of customs clearance between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
(Profile picture / Hong Kong 01)
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