Message from Dr Rosinni Wong,
Doctor of Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong
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Dear all,
About “WARS” (2019-nCoV), I am not an infectious disease expert, but please kindly read the following and help spread the words to as many as you can.
What I share in the following are facts and how I interpret them. Then allow me to share some of my opinions and humbly give some advice to you all, using my professional knowledge as a doctor.
First, my KEY MESSAGE:
Do not panic. Read and digest the following yourself.
Battle fought against a viral pandemic is always a race of speed in viral transmission and scientists' and clinicians' work in studying the disease and coming up with an effective treatment.
Here, I must emphasize the reliance on us in limiting viral spread (HENCE THE PRACTICE OF PROPER PUBLIC HYGIENE AND PUBLIC COOPERATION), while our scientists work hard for our humanity.
Now, let’s look at some facts:
Fact 1:
83-87% of people entering the border from China on 1/2/2020 and 2/2/2020 are HK residents, equivalent to around 110,000-125,000 head counts.
What is more alarming is that, there were still 57000 and 65871 HK residents entering China on 1/2/2020 and 2/2/2020 respectively. (According to my knowledge, a number of HK residents do travel back and forth the border daily from home to work, not merely for vacation reason)
https://www.immd.gov.hk/hkt/message_from_us/stat.html
Fact 2:
Since WARS, some countries have banned travellers from China or people with Chinese passport, but no countries deny entry for their own residents, at most they need to undergo quarantine. This likely applies to HK border and HK residents as well (Think about it, they are HK taxpayers.)
https://www.reuters.com/…/singapore-suspends-entry-transit-…
https://www.aljazeera.com/…/bans-travellers-china-coronavir…
https://english.kyodonews.net/…/15025cbcccfc-breaking-news-…
Fact 3:
Housing has always been limited in Hong Kong, and it would be difficult to find enough facilities to quarantine the massive amount of people entering the border, regardless of residency of these passengers, not to mention the resistance that the government has been receiving in finding a location for potential quarantine use.
Today, the government announced the use of tracking wrist bands to monitor home quarantine for the first time, but only for passengers who have been to Hubei in the recent 14 days at the moment.
https://news.mingpao.com/…/a…/20200203/s00001/1580715099735/【武漢肺炎】接受家居檢疫者須戴手環防「離家出走」
Fact 4:
7 out of the 15 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases were HK residents.
(See link shared below at comments)
Fact 5:
In the past few days, we started to see suspected cases from community transmission.
https://news.rthk.hk/rt…/…/component/k2/1506210-20200202.htm
Now, this is what I think:
1. Even if Carrie Lam immediately agrees to close border to mainlander, it still takes time to handle the incoming HK residents - who are still potential source of importing disease every day.
2. There is lots of difficulty in quarantining all HK residents coming in from China given the massive amount of headcounts every day.
3. It may not be as easy as we think to stop these people from travelling across the border if it is for business reasons rather than leisure reason. It is not impossible, but there would be resistance and definitely takes time.
4. Even if we assume the border is closed with immediate effect, AND unrealistically assuming we even bar HK residents from entering, seeing the rising evidence of community transmission, disease will likely spread from local transmission anyway.
5. Conclusion: AN OUTBREAK IS ALMOST INEVITABLE. THIS IS JUST THE MATTER OF TIME.
This is not to make everyone panic. We all should stay calm and face this with a sensible mind.
Now, my humble advice:
Regardless of whether Carrie Lam bans all Mainlanders from the border or not, FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS, please:
1. Help minimize movement between Hong Kong and China!
a. Please, please, please everyone, do not go to China anymore in the next few months if not for essential reasons. If you do, please do not expect to come back until the disease situation is under control.
b. Please, please, please urge people around you to do the same.
2. PLEASE, help raise awareness in the importance of PRACTICING PERSONAL AND PUBLIC HYGIENE and PUBLIC COOPERATION:
- Avoid going out if possible.
- Avoid going to crowded areas, wear surgical masks if you have to.
- Even if you have insufficient surgical masks, please wash your hands ALL THE TIME.
- Don’t touch your face, eyes, mouth without washing hands.
- Keep the “U-shape system” next to the toilet damp at all times as advised by Dr PL Ho. (Please refer to https://www.facebook.com/1648246202123798/videos/776702206175128/?vh=e&d=n)
- ISOLATE yourself if you have symptoms.
- If anyone of you have excess of surgical masks, please consider sharing with people who don’t. It is by sharing these resources that we can slow down viral spread together.
- Please try not to oppose using proposed areas for quarantine purposes unless with a strong reason. If the disease spread faster than the cure is found, we all are the ultimate victims. (Also advised by Prof KY Yuen)
https://news.now.com/home/local/player?newsId=378977
(For medical co-workers, you know well enough already how to prevent transmission at workplace, so let’s do it properly together)
You do not have to agree with my interpretation and advice. But you certainly can read the facts and make some analysis yourself and do the things you consider correct.
Please share this and spread out, post on your fb if you agree. I was told by a few that the fb share didn’t work. You are welcome to copy and paste it if so!
#This is not a debate on closing border or not
#This is not a debate on medical workers should go on strike or not
#This is not a debate on whether our government is brilliant or not
#Please Politics aside, just for one moment.
#Save yourselves, HK people.
Dr Rosinni Wong
Doctor of Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care
Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong
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