Menu
Current Affairs of This Week
Current Affairs of This Week

Fight Hong Kong’s coronavirus third wave with transparency on border crossings data

Posted on July 14, 2020 by admin

A likely source of the recent local Covid-19 outbreaks is people who were infected outside Hong Kong. When residents fled the outbreaks in Europe and the United States, or otherwise returned from overseas trips in previous months, they were quarantined, tested and those found positive were treated.
To better understand the latest outbreaks, data is needed on all border and boundary crossings and the risk of leakage of the virus into Hong Kong.
Ideally, the data should be broken down into meaningful categories, including employment and social characteristics, which makes it easier to understand and predict people’s movements once on the ground.
Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.
Pilots, truck drivers, businessmen ” who are quarantined, who are not? Who are tested, who are not?
When I asked epidemiologists and health experts on a recent radio show, it appeared to me that they research the virus but may not have a full understanding of immigration data. The government may be unnecessarily reticent about disclosure.
To sustain our city, we need essential crossings to continue. We would be without food if we did not. A good understanding by the community of cross-border and boundary movements will allow the community to take common-sense precautions based on their perception of the risks.
The community responsiveness, including the immediate use of masks, has kept Hong Kong safe from the virus ” well beyond whmunities have been able to achieve. Transparency of movements across our borders and boundaries will help the community guard itself against leakage and spread of the virus.
Paul Zimmerman, district councillor, Pok Fu Lam; CEO, Designing Hong Kong
Hong Kong should follow Wuhan on ‘batch’ testing
For a few days running, Hong Kong has had more new Covid-19 cases than all of mainland China, raising the possibility of months of costly social and economic disruption to bring it under control.
How about taking a leaf out of China’s playbook and repeating here what was done in Wuhan in mid-May, when the city’s entire population was tested at once across two weeks after six new local cases emerged?
Using the same methods, such as combining five to 10 samples in a single batch to cut the number of tests required in the first round, and only then retesting the individual members of any batch that tests positive, should make it a realistic proposition for Hong Kong and enable the health authorities to rapidly control this outbreak.
Somebody in government can run the numbers, but I am quite sure that if it is done on a batch basis, the cost of testing everyone is a lot less than the cost of the economic disruption of imposing more controls on everyone for weeks or months if the current outbreak continues.
If local testing capacity is insufficient, perhaps numbered batches of combined samples can be sent across the border to speed up the process.
As long as the samples sent over are merely numbered, as opposed to identifying people directly, and each contains a mixture of combined samples from many individuals, the medical privacy implications should be easily manageable and enable Hong Kong to take advantage of the plentiful testing capacity available across the border ” to get the job done quickly before things escalate further.
As the unfortunate experience of many countries has shown, this virus is very unforgiving of delays in containment, so speed is of the essence.
James Rodriguez de Castro, Deep Water Bay
More Articles from SCMP
Autopsy to be carried out on man who passed out in Hong Kong coronavirus quarantine camp and died
Latest rules have to be respected if virus infections are to fall in Hong Kong
TikTok was a ‘stress reliever’ for Hong Kong’s domestic helpers, but now it’s gone
Hong Kong’s traditional opposition parties lose out to localist challengers in fierce weekend primary for coming Legislative Council election
US officials targeted by Beijing shrug off sanctions but vow to keep pressing on human rights
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (ww…

Top 7 car Diagnostic Scanner

Best Professional OBD2 Scanner
Autel maxisys ultra scanner
Autel MK908p Diagnostic Scanner
Launch scan tool: X431 V+
Autel MaxiDiag MD806 Automotive Car Diagnostic Scanner
launch car code reader: CRP129x
Autel TPMS Tool ts601

Random Posts

  • Internet Protocol Address Management (IPAM) Market 2020 Share and Forecast to 2025: Infoblox, Crypton, Bluecat …
  • Warriors’ James Wiseman not a top five rookie in CBS Sports power rankings
  • K-pop fans around the world: Are they the future of activism?
  • Nintendo: código fuente de 3DS se filtra junto al de Pokémon Diamante y Perla
  • Denise Richards is leaving Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after 2 seasons
  • 77-Jährige stirbt nach Sturz in Stadtbahn

Popular

  • Visa Postpones Rollout Of New Fee Structure - 700 views
  • Whats Driving The Gluten Free Food Market Share? Hero Group Ag, The Hain Celestial Group Inc., Seitz Glutenfrei, Dr … - 526 views
  • 氷川きよし、EXILE MAKIDAIが志村けんさん追悼「真心と御恩は一生忘れません」 - 505 views
  • «Женское обрезание» в Судане признали преступлением - 478 views
  • 爆発的な拡大懸念 新型コロナ 福岡県内で1日最多の17人 自動車工場勤務の男性も 3日まで生産中止 - 477 views

Tags

5G 2021 Analysis Apple Argentina Borussia Dortmund Brazil Bundesliga China Colombia Coronavirus Donald Trump Enterprise European Union Finance Forecasting Germany Government Health Care Industry Juventus F.C. La Liga Law Liverpool F.C. Los Angeles Lakers Manufacturing Market research Market share Mexico Moscow NBA NFL Premier League Report Research Russia School Serie A Stock Student System Tennis Turkey UEFA Champions League Vietnam

Recent Posts

  • Halsey anuncia su embarazo en redes: “Sorpresa”
  • Gigantesca incautación: PDI allana más de 1.800 plantas de marihuana en Constitución
  • Собянин отменил часть ограничений в Москве
  • Maite Perroni afirma que Dulce María nunca tuvo intención de participar en el reencuentro de RBD
  • [2021] ¿Cómo Será El Mercado De Software De Vídeo Por Internet En Un Futuro Próximo? análisis Para 2030
©2021 Current Affairs of This Week | Powered by WordPress & Superb Themes