The fifth wave of the epidemic has spread, and the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, may announce the latest situation of national testing today and tomorrow.
Yuan Guoyong, a government expert advisor and chair professor of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong, reminded a few days ago that if the logistical work is not prepared for the public testing, it may lead to a sixth wave of epidemics.
Recently, experts and parliamentarians have frequently suggested that rapid tests be used instead of nucleic acid tests to conduct mandatory nationwide tests. In addition, the government will distribute test kits to all citizens within a month. Is the plan feasible?
Some members of the Legislative Council objected, arguing that the rapid test results are inaccurate and difficult to supervise all citizens to report the true results.
Yuan Guoyong, an expert consultant to the government, pointed out a few days ago that logistical work must be done before conducting nationwide testing.
(File photo/Photo by Li Zetong)
Yuan Guoyong: National testing may lead to the sixth wave of the epidemic
Government expert consultant and chair professor of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong, Yuan Guoyong, reminded in an interview with mainland media the day before yesterday (18th) that the government must do a good job in logistics before implementing nationwide testing, strengthen rapid multi-layer tracking capabilities, and ensure adequate isolation and quarantine facilities. And have the ability to implement closed-loop management, otherwise it may trigger the sixth wave of the epidemic.
Yuan Guoyong said that a new wave of epidemics is bound to come, and citizens and the government must be prepared to raise the vaccination rate target to 99%.
He pointed out that although the transmission of the new coronavirus is strong after mutation, as long as the body's T cell response is still effective and there are sufficient drugs, it may be regarded as a common cold or seasonal flu in the future, and it is expected to gradually clear customs and return to normal life in the future.
Tian Beichen, a member of the Legislative Council of the Real Politics Roundtable, believes that many experts have estimated that the peak period of the epidemic in mid-April has passed.
Chen Kaixin, a member of the Legislative Council of the Election Committee, asked whether he should consider sending staff upstairs to test, and urged Yuan Guoyong to directly provide actual opinions to the government to deal with the risks he described.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said that she plans to provide an update on measures such as nationwide testing today (20th) or tomorrow (21st).
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Medical experts advocate rapid testing for nationwide compulsory testing
The fifth wave of the epidemic continues to spread. The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, said a few days ago that she plans to provide an update on measures such as nationwide testing today (20th) or tomorrow (21st).
She revealed yesterday (19th) that she will distribute anti-epidemic medical supplies packages to all citizens within this month, including masks, rapid test kits, and proprietary Chinese medicines.
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Affairs, Qiu Tenghua, said earlier that more than 100 million rapid test kits and 180 million masks have been received so far, and each of the 7.5 million people in Hong Kong can use an average of 13 rapid test kits.
The National Health Commission said on March 11 that it had decided to add antigen testing (ie, rapid antigen testing) as a supplement to nucleic acid testing.
Ho Pak-leung, director of the Center for Infection and Infectious Diseases at the University of Hong Kong, and Leung Pak-yin, former chief executive of the Hospital Authority, also advocated that all people’s testing be changed to rapid testing. Leung Pak-yin even suggested classified testing. About 5 million people who have been diagnosed and who need daily testing for work can undergo rapid testing. The rest of the citizens will be tested for nucleic acid.
He Bailiang also pointed out that although the rapid test results may be false negatives, the negative results indicate that the patients are not contagious. Or collapse the isolation facility.
He advocated the replacement of nucleic acid testing with rapid nationwide testing, and home isolation with electronic wristbands.
Lam Shun-chao, a member of the Legislative Council of the Election Committee, also said that the current chain of transmission has become untraceable. It is recommended to distribute rapid test kits for 10 to 14 days to the entire population to identify patients with high viral loads, and then implement nationwide nucleic acid testing. .
Members object to suggestion to make false or false declarations
However, Chen Kaixin has reservations about the recommendation because he believes that the rapid test is less accurate, especially if the initial positive patient has a low viral load, or a false negative but with a risk of transmission.
She also worries that there are criminals who falsely report the results, and that the results of a quick test are used by many people, making it difficult for the authorities to supervise.
On the contrary, the nucleic acid test must be registered with an ID card and sampled with the assistance of the staff, and the accuracy is unquestionable. It is believed that the rapid test should only be used as an auxiliary.
Tian Beichen also objected to the suggestion, pointing out that the quick test was not accurate, and he was not confident that all citizens would tell the truth and voluntarily stay at home for quarantine. He pointed out that there are many citizens who do not report the positive results of the quick test.
He believes that the rapid test is voluntary, but the test is mandatory for all people, and the central government will not accept the contradiction between "mandatory" and "voluntary".
Chen Kaixin advocates a strong procuratorial force in the districts and worries that the authorities have insufficient mobilization capacity
Chen Kaixin also pointed out at the beginning of this month that the government has missed the opportunity to conduct nationwide testing, and suggested that community-based compulsory testing should be carried out in areas where the epidemic broke out, and suitable confirmed patients can be quarantined at home.
Chen Kaixin said in an inquiry yesterday (19th) that national testing is most effective in the early stages of the outbreak, and now the time has passed. In addition, as can be seen from the recent distribution of supplies and the siege by the Hong Kong government, the ability to mobilize is worrying.
She advocates district testing, assessing the risks of each district based on sewage reports and the number of confirmed cases. First, the high-risk areas will be subject to mandatory enclosed testing, while other citizens will conduct daily rapid tests. Travel with peace of mind in conjunction with the vaccine pass and the upgraded version, and gradually reach the whole territory of Hong Kong. National testing.
Tian Beichen suggested that mandatory testing should be carried out in mid-April on the 9th, and that confirmed persons should be arranged to enter isolation camps or home isolation, and cooperate with electronic wristbands, so as to have the opportunity to relax the restrictions on gatherings in an orderly manner.
He pointed out that dynamic clearing is a national policy, Hong Kong cannot coexist with the virus, and the central government believes in compulsory testing of the whole people, and believes that the Chief Executive will sooner or later implement compulsory testing of the whole people.
Lam Cheng’s reply to a letter from a foreign chamber of commerce revealed that he insisted on controlling the epidemic first and refused to immediately test the whole population of overseas customs clearance｜Minyan Research: More than half of the respondents bought all the necessary supplies and 46% opposed the necessity of entering the quarantine camp. I told you that I will announce the designated clinic at the beginning of next week. From Tuesday, there will be 6 more clinics with 23 addresses, appointment numbers and consultation hours.
