Health response lowered to alert level: gov’t

It took the WHO’s advice for the epidemic situation.

The government said its cross-bureaus and interdepartmental response work will be co-ordinated and steered by the Health Bureau in lieu of Anti-epidemic Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Executive following the emergency level activation. 

Under the alert level, the structure of the Command & Coordination Group and the COVID-19 Expert Advisory Panel is also disbanded.

The Hospital Authority (HA) also declared that public hospitals “will stand down the response level to Alert with immediate effect and implement relevant measures.”

Despite the lowered level of health response, Hong Kong will stay vigilant and it advised citizens to complete their vaccine doses.

In a separate statement, the HA reminded the public that the following measures will be observed:

• Visiting arrangements in public hospitals resumed earlier will persist: visiting hours will be not more than four hours per day and not more than two visitors per visit for all acute wards; and not more than six hours per day and not more than two visitors for all convalescent and rehabilitation wards. Please refer to the notice posted in respective wards for details;
• Patients, visitors and staff members are required to wear surgical masks in the patient care areas of public hospitals and clinics;
• Patients, visitors and staff members are required to maintain personal and environmental hygiene at all times, and pay special attention to hand hygiene; and
• All volunteer services and clinical attachment resumed earlier in public hospitals will continue.