Hong Kong health experts review prescription rules for Covid drugs at public hospitals in a bid to combat rise in virus-related deaths
- Hospital Authority reveals health experts are looking into loosening protocols for prescribing Covid-19 antivirals molnupiravir and Paxlovid
- Hong Kong records 4,508 new Covid-19 infections, including 220 imported cases, and another 10 deaths
Public hospital policymakers are reviewing prescription guidelines for Covid-19 drugs in a bid to arrest a rising trend of virus-related fatalities in Hong Kong, with the daily death toll reaching double digits for the first time in more than two months.
Their private sector counterparts, meanwhile, have pledged 1,000 beds, with 364 offered initially, to aid the fight against a resurgent fifth wave of infections, following a high-level meeting with officials on Wednesday.
In a statement revealing the move, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau thanked the Private Hospitals Association, and said all of its 13 hospitals had heeded the call to help.
“With the epidemic showing worsening signs, maintaining the operation of the public healthcare system is vital to the life and safety of residents,” Lo said.
“We thank the private hospitals for helping at this critical time and making their contribution towards the pandemic fight.”
He added that the Hospital Authority would continue discussions with the association, to pair up one to three private facilities with each of the seven public hospital clusters, so as to achieve efficient referral of both Covid-19 and non-coronavirus patients.