50,000 units of Fangcang shelter hospitals can be used for 4 purposes Liang Zichao: No surprise, no use

The fifth wave of the new crown virus epidemic has a tendency to retreat. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced yesterday (21st) that the implementation of compulsory nationwide testing will be suspended.

Earlier, in response to the epidemic, the central government assisted the construction of a number of community isolation facilities (also known as makeshift hospitals), which can provide more than 50,000 beds in total. So far, 4 projects have been put into use.

The compulsory testing of the whole people will not be implemented in the short term. Is there still a need for makeshift hospitals?

Liang Zichao, a respiratory specialist, said that even if the government suspends nationwide testing, it is still possible to strengthen testing in the future.

He believes that the current cases are starting to decline, and suggested that confirmed patients should be sent to makeshift hospitals for isolation as soon as possible to reduce the risk of community transmission; even if there are still remaining units, some of them can be repurposed for quarantine and other purposes. Lin Zhexuan, a member of the Legislative Council in the medical and health sector, also agrees that the square cabin hospital is used to isolate patients, and after the epidemic, it can even be converted into a social housing.

Before the fifth wave of the epidemic, Penny's Bay was originally a quarantine center. In addition to arranging close contacts to stay, it also accommodated foreign domestic helpers who came to Hong Kong for quarantine, providing employers with a cheaper option than hotels.

▼The delivery of the Fanling community isolation facility on March 13▼

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Some 70,000 quarantine units in total are temporary

At present, there are 9 makeshift hospital projects aided by the Mainland in Hong Kong, of which 5 have been put into use, including Tsing Yi, former San Tin Shopping Mall, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, Fanling Ma Shi Road, and Hung Shui Bridge. A total of 10,500 hospitals are expected to be provided. Isolated unit.

Statistics show that as of yesterday (March 21), the utilization rates of the above five makeshift hospitals were 60 to 80%, and 8,085 people had been admitted.

As for the 4 projects that have not been put into use, they are located in Lok Ma Chau Loop, Tam Mei, Yuen Long, Penny's Bay and Kai Tak. The Loop will build an emergency hospital with about 1,000 beds and a community isolation with about 10,000 beds. and treatment facilities, which can be delivered to Hong Kong for use within days.

The government has said that the nine projects mentioned above could provide more than 50,000 beds.

At present, the government has rented another 10,000 hotel rooms, several newly completed public housing estates, and the first four phases of Penny's Bay. There are also more than 20,000 units. The first two are temporary.

▼On March 15, Xintian Fangcai Hospital was put into use▼

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Isolation facilities will not be superfluous... so that they will not be used.

Liang Zichao, a specialist in respiratory system

Liang Zichao, a specialist in respiratory system.

(file picture)

Liang Zichao: Sending patients to the camp to avoid home transmission

Liang Zichao, a specialist in the Department of Respiratory Medicine, said that even if the government suspends testing for the entire population, in order to achieve "dynamic clearing", it is believed that the government will continue to conduct testing, such as requiring mandatory testing.

He pointed out that the number of isolation facilities is gradually increasing, and as the number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong begins to decline, it is recommended that when confirmed patients are found, they should all be sent to isolation as soon as possible to avoid transmission caused by home isolation.

He pointed out that if there are still remaining isolation units, they can be used for other purposes, such as arranging higher-risk quarantined persons or cases in residential care homes. Cabin hospitals need sufficient manpower to operate, which is expected to create employment opportunities.

▼The construction progress of Tsing Yi Fangcai Hospital on February 27▼

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Lin Zhexuan: In the future, the patient's family will be available for quarantine

Legislative Council member of the medical and health sector Lin Zhexuan pointed out that tens of thousands of newly diagnosed patients are still in isolation at home. If there are elderly, pregnant women and family members with weak immunity in their homes, they may be infected. Therefore, when there are more makeshift hospitals, they can be infected. Arrange the confirmed patients to move in as soon as possible to reduce the risk of home transmission; in the future, even if the family members of the confirmed patients are not recruited, that is, close contacts, they can be arranged to be admitted to the makeshift hospital for quarantine upon their request to reduce the risk of infection in the building.

Lin pointed out that the number of daily confirmed cases has been horizontal in recent days, and it is difficult to determine whether it is going downhill. However, the amount of virus detected in sewage testing has dropped, and the number of daily deaths has also begun to decline. If there is no report, it will take another period of time. If the daily death toll falls below 100, it will be confirmed that the epidemic has subsided.

If the demand for Fangcang shelter hospitals is finally "cleared", he believes that some Fangcang shelter hospitals can be converted into social housing.

▼Tsing Yi Fangcai Hospital Community Isolation Facility Maintenance Command Center▼

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Apart from receiving community patients, converting to quarantine facilities and social housing, makeshift hospitals have other uses.

Looking through the information, between the fourth wave and the fifth wave of the epidemic, the 800 units in the first two phases of Penny's Bay with independent toilets were used as quarantine facilities for those arriving in Hong Kong, mainly for the reservation of arriving foreign domestic helpers. The unit charges 480 yuan per night, including three meals and all expenses, which is cheaper than the hotel income and can reduce the employer's burden.

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