There's nothing that can ruin a family holiday more quickly than a sick child, or a sick parent unable to look after said child.
This is Lunar New Year, the time when Hong Kong families leave in droves making up a massive human migration. Sad but true is another fact: a lot of the happy holidaymakers, especially those visiting other Asian countries, will fall sick, says the director of the Adventist Hospital's travel clinic.
Admittedly, many of these illnesses are not life-threatening and may be no more serious than a walloping dose of gastroenteritis or an upper-respiratory infection, but it's enough to make what should be a wonderful, relaxed time a miserable and stressful event.
There is nothing better than a family holiday. It's time for children to re-acquaint themselves with their parents, and it's precious time to just enjoy your children and your spouse far from the pressures of life in Hong Kong.
Hunting for a doctor you might be able to trust in what suddenly feels like a 'tin-pot' country and not an exotic tropical location is not funny. Nor is having to confine yourself to a darkened hotel room when outside the sun is shining on what could have been new adventures with your children.
There are some simple precautions to take, according to our doctor in-the-know, which go as far as possible towards avoiding having children fall sick on holiday.