Coronavirus: shifting protective gear guidelines frustrate some, but are ‘reasonable’, Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority chief says
- Updates to city’s recommendations necessary as knowledge of the global pandemic grows, Tony Ko says
- Some changes, including ones governing the use of water-resistant gowns, have been driven by first-hand experience
Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority chief has defended a recent series of changes to protective gear guidelines that have frustrated health care workers battling Covid-19, saying it was “reasonable” to adjust standards as understanding of the deadly virus grows.
At least five versions of the city’s guidelines on protective gear have been issued between February and early March.
But Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing, chief executive of the authority, said there was nothing out of the ordinary with the frequent updates, which have led some to complain they were hard to follow or to take issue when protective requirements have been modified.
“Back during Sars, similar guidelines were often changed, too,” Ko told reporters earlier this week. “To a certain extent, this is reasonable.
“As we have seen more data and gained more experience, it [became clear] this disease was a droplet infection,” he said. “When supplies of [protective gear] could not be secured, it became reasonable to prioritise [the use of protective gear].”