Coronavirus: task force urges Hong Kong care homes to join scheme to improve on ventilation, after deadly Covid-19 outbreak
- Interdepartmental task force discussed creating better ventilation in elderly facilities to prevent another deadly outbreak
- Nurses to follow up with checks and provide training for care home staff
More private and self-financing care homes in Hong Kong will be asked to join a scheme to improve on their ventilation conditions, as part of efforts to prevent another deadly Covid-19 outbreak at facilities for the elderly.
The measures were discussed on Tuesday at the first meeting of a special interdepartmental task force set up to review the operation of care homes, which have been hit hard in the fifth wave of infections. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong admitted on Saturday that his bureau had failed to provide prompt care for the elderly.
The task force discussed how to create better ventilation in care homes for the elderly and disabled, to minimise the risk of virus transmission. A mechanism to directly admit mild cases to respite centres to relieve the pressure on public hospitals was also brought up.
Members of the task force include representatives of the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Food and Health Bureau, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and the Department of Health.
A total of 784 homes for the elderly and 285 care centres for the disabled have reported outbreaks amid the fifth wave, with about 56 per cent of coronavirus-related deaths occurring among residents of these facilities.