Mr. Yuan Guoyong, an expert in microbiology of the University of Hong Kong, accepted the invitation of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department to lead a team to visit the Wangyue Tower, Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong on January 4, 2022. He concluded that the hygiene level of Wangyue Tower met the specifications and pointed out that there were 14 air cleaners in the restaurant. It effectively circulates the air. Further evaluation pointed out that the Cathay Pacific crew with the Omicron mutant virus stayed for a long time. Because they did not wear a mask, the virus moved through the air flow through the grille on the screen to infect the diners sitting in the corner.
He concluded through a smoke test that the virus was brought to these corners with relatively weak air flow by moving air, thus infecting other diners.
Contribution author: Pan Zhuohong
Insincere is actually creating a trap
Speaking of the idiom "Han people cook", in ancient times, Han people (today's central plains and Shaanxi area) once accepted the hospitality of Wu people (today's Jiangnan area of Jiangsu). The Han people fell in love with the bamboo shoot dishes that they had never encountered before. He used bamboo for his meal, and tried to cook the bamboo mat on the bed when he returned home. Because he was not successful, he thought that Wu Ren was insincere.
People who generally think this idiom satirizes insincerely, the author further believes that it is also a satire of ignorance and arrogance.
If the Wangyuelou infection group is likened to bamboo shoot dishes, the Han Wu people actually reflect Mr. Yuan and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of different professions. They have their own knowledge and wisdom in their professions.
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department knows that the air quality in the premises of a restaurant requires both flow and fresh air (commonly known in the industry as "fresh air"). Otherwise, it just keeps circulating the dirty air indoors. If there is a virus in the premises, The risks are self-evident.
It’s strange that after just over an hour of inspection, Mr. Yuan changed from a Han to a Wu, and from a microbiologist to a superintendent who knows all about aerodynamics. If he makes a wrong judgment and therefore designs a system for future epidemic prevention work, the result is It is to put the wrong ingredients into the future epidemic prevention work. This is actually a trap evolved from IQ.
British writer David Robson in "Why do smart people do stupid things?"
"The book describes the trap of high IQ like this: "Smart people will not just use excellent intelligence, but will use intelligence speculatively to promote their own interests and protect their most important beliefs." If they have public power Officials and experts in Hong Kong are insincere, and Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic work will not escape the frustration of falling traps.
As we all know, the meeting of the infected diners at Mochizuki Tower occurred at noon on December 27, and the visit was only 8 days after the incident to investigate what happened?
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department guarantees that the light, shadow and facilities seen by Mr. Yuan are exactly the same as before 8 days?
Unless Mr. Yuan has special abilities, he cannot make professional and fair judgments about hygiene conditions and even air quality.
The fundamental problem may be that
it has never achieved six times the ventilation
In fact, as early as the end of March this year, the government published the "Prevention and Control of Diseases (Requirements and Instructions) (Business and Premises) Regulations" under Chapter 599F of the Laws of Hong Kong in the Gazette, requiring restaurants that provide dine-in food to comply by the end of April. It is stipulated that the fresh air delivery volume between the seats should be increased to at least 6 air changes per hour.
From a technical perspective, this decision is completely different for restaurants located inside shopping malls and next to the street. In fact, shopping mall restaurants are more subject to the supply of fresh air systems in the mall itself. They must originally comply with Chapter 132 of the Hong Kong Laws "Public Health and Public Health". The air exchange rate of Part VIII of the Municipal Ordinance has increased from about 4 times to 6 times. The shopping mall itself may not be able to supply an additional 50% of sufficient fresh air. The machines that barely increase the air flow in the restaurant will only keep the polluted air in the air. Circulation, even with disinfection devices, it is difficult to ensure indoor air quality.
Mr. Yuan tested it with white smoke, and what he saw visually was actually the air flowing, and he couldn't see whether it was fresh wind or dead air with a virus.
From the perspective of public administration, government policy bureaus have legislated and gazetted them. Regardless of the timetable and technical requirements, they have clear procedures and justice. The responsible Development Bureau and its Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, therefore, the implementation procedures formulated are actually System, established technical standards and details are rules.
The contractor responsible for the implementation of the project has the responsibility of signing the responsibility to ensure that the fresh air between the seats is changed at least 6 times per hour. This is a very scientific system and rule issue. Finding a qualified laboratory should reveal the truth. There are also inspection systems and rules. An opportunity for this.
The public has given the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department 8 days, absolutely not expecting Mr. Yuan to play the role of the detective Jin Tianyi, let alone using a high IQ trap to fool Hong Kong people. What we need to know is the scientific data and the truth.
The social operation mode promoted by the system and rules
can self-improve
We need to re-start the anti-epidemic work in Hong Kong from the perspective of administrative management. Carrie Lam should instruct the Secretary for Development, Wong Wai Lun, to find out whether the government is properly fulfilling the requirements of 6 times the ventilation in Chapter 599F and is foolproof.
Whether anyone forged documents or whether the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department is negligent of its duties is the next thing. Our government should learn to self-improve the system and rules in the course of its bumps and bumps.
Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic work has always been leaking, and it is extremely necessary to return to a just society promoted by systems and rules. This is theoretically the most just and effective way of social operation and the only way to prevent Hong Kong from sinking endlessly.
Only for this, I advise Mr. Yuan to return to his most familiar microbiology concentrated contribution, public administration and other majors, let the necessary systems and rules restore the normal operation of society.
The author is the chief researcher of "Hong Kong Strategy", the chairman of "China Science Supervision", a member of Chatham House in the United Kingdom, and a member of the International Institute of Strategic Studies
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