Coronavirus: time for Hong Kong to shift from containment to mitigation, experts say
- ‘Naive’ to think city is without unidentified cases, coronavirus expert tells China Conference, as panellists make case for shift to mitigation strategy
- Government adviser reveals talks under way to ease border restrictions with Taiwan, along with Macau and mainland China
The fact that the latest cases – involving a grandmother and her family members – had been identified as locally transmitted meant the city’s monitoring system was working, they told the China Conference, organised by the South China Morning Post.
A government adviser also revealed that, in addition to Macau and mainland China, the administration was in talks with Taiwan about relaxing border control measures, as it was paramount to take the city’s economic recovery into account.
While hospitals in other countries were still struggling to contain the coronavirus, the city’s health facilities were ready to gradually resume full operations, Hong Kong’s public hospital chief said, while tapping into innovative means to avoid cross-infections.
The discussion came as the infected grandmother’s husband was confirmed with Covid-19 as well, after their granddaughter also tested positive. Their contact tracing will require thousands to be tested for Covid-19 as health authorities look into the possibility of invisible community transmissions.