After three years of the COVID-19 epidemic, Hong Kong is gradually returning to normal. Chief Executive Lee Ka-chao expressed his disapproval of setting up an independent investigation committee to review the epidemic and rejected the request of several expert consultants when he met with reporters before the association this morning (31st).
Looking back over the past year, the government's attitude towards the setting up of an investigation committee to review the epidemic has faded again and again.
At the peak of the fifth wave of the epidemic, former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on March 20 last year that she was open to the establishment of an epidemic review committee, but she changed her tone only a week later. I really don’t think we should be distracted from dealing with such a large-scale investigation now, I believe the next government will take it seriously,” she did not deny it at the time, but handed it over to this government.
Former Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said at the peak of the fifth wave of the epidemic that she was open to the establishment of an epidemic review committee.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei/File photo)
Carrie Lam was asked on March 20 last year that she believed that after the epidemic eased, the government must set up a committee to review whether there are problems with the government's crisis management mechanism.
At that time, she agreed that there were many areas that needed to be reviewed afterwards, just like the review after SARS in 2003, so she was open-minded.
Hong Kong is facing such a severe wave of the epidemic. Of course, there are many places that need to be reviewed afterwards. The scope of the review is believed to be very extensive. We have examined it in detail, and the protective equipment and measures in residential care homes are also worthy of review.
Of course, regarding the promotion of public health as a whole, just as after SARS, a comprehensive and various review was carried out, and some measures that were considered necessary at the time were implemented, including the establishment of a three-tier response mechanism-this is The three-tier contingency mechanism we launched this time also includes the establishment of an infectious disease medical center in Princess Margaret Hospital.
Therefore, I am personally open to a comprehensive review of government, private or institutional actions in response to the epidemic.
Former Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor 2022.3.20
On March 27, Carrie Lam was again questioned by rumors that the government planned to select insiders to lead the relevant review team, and whether it should include some experts or judges independent of the government.
Lin Zhengyue said that at that time, an interdepartmental working group led by the Permanent Secretary of the Labor and Welfare Bureau was established to deal with these projects that were concentrated in institutions or related to the infection of the elderly, so as to find out the areas that needed improvement. An open-minded review committee, "It's still my position that with a public health crisis of this magnitude - involving a considerable number of deaths - and my deepest condolences to the families of each of those who have passed away - ─ so it deserves a full review.”
I have outlined earlier that the scope of the review can be very broad, including our medical care, welfare, and sanitation, and whether the interaction and connection of these systems are done well; it also includes the network of more than 40 hospitals in the Hospital Authority to provide treatment. model that is optimal in a public health crisis.
This time it proves that setting up designated hospitals is the best arrangement, rather than dispersing patients.
So there are plenty of issues worthy of review.
I have personally dealt with the establishment of several independent investigation committees. Therefore, if you ask me to write about the scope of this independent investigation committee, it will be a very broad and hopefully a very deep investigation.
But we are still in the middle of the epidemic, and we are not fully confident that we will get out of the epidemic in the short term. Therefore, as the current chief executive, I really don't think we should be distracted from handling such a large-scale investigation now. I believe that the next government will Seriously.
If the next government needs me to provide opinions as the person in charge of the fight against the epidemic, I am happy to provide opinions.
Former Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor 2022.3.27
▼January 31 Chief Executive Lee Ka-chao met with the media before the meeting▼
Today, Li Jiachao said that he did not agree to an independent investigation of past epidemic prevention measures, and pointed out that due to different situations in various parts of the world, there is no recognized best or standard plan.
I do not agree with the establishment of an independent investigation committee. There are two goals in the new stage of the epidemic, which is to comprehensively promote economic development and make arrangements for normalization. Looking forward... the actual epidemic situation must be handled according to the situation we are facing Do it, write 100 plans today, and listen to new epidemic changes or new diseases every day, the 101st plan and the 102nd case will appear.
The current Chief Executive Li Jiachao 2023.1.31
Disagree with independent investigation of the epidemic handling Li Jiachao: Three key improvements have been made Carrie Lam: It is not appropriate to be distracted by the investigation of the epidemic. The next government will handle it. Li Jiachao: Complete customs clearance with the mainland as soon as possible Disagree with independent investigation of the epidemic and call for an independent investigation committee to review the new crown Epidemic Response Yuan Guoyong: The Next Pandemic Can Be Done Better Independent Investigation No Comments on Fifth Wave Epidemic Victim's Families: We Are Forgotten｜Farewell to 2022
