Tear gas exposure at extradition bill protests causing Hong Kong journalists breathing and skin problems
- Survey by group of doctors finds almost all respondents report respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, persistent cough and coughing up blood
- Security expert scotches worries that police force’s gas canisters have expired
More than a hundred frontline journalists covering recent unrest in Hong Kong have reported breathing problems, skin allergies and other issues after repeated exposure to tear gas, a survey has found.
The online self-reporting survey, conducted by a group of doctors, also suggested that reporters were more likely to have suffered severe skin reactions and gastrointestinal symptoms after exposure at recent protests than after those in June.
These findings came as doubts swirled over the use of supposedly expired tear gas, with a security expert insisting that the police force’s canisters were still usable and no more harmful than any others – although their “best before” dates may have passed.
Since the citywide protests against the now-abandoned extradition bill erupted nine weeks ago, police have used more than 1,800 rounds of tear gas.
More than 95 per cent of 170 journalists who responded to the survey reported respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, a persistent cough and coughing up blood. More than 70 per cent reported skin reactions like itchiness and rashes, and more than half reported problems with their eyes, including reddening and persistent watering.
The intensity of skin reactions has increased from previous cases, from short-lived burning sensations to recent symptoms of second-degree burns, the poll found.
The survey was led by Dr Kwong Po-yin, a district councillor and former member of localist political party Youngspiration, who worked with three other medical students from the University of Hong Kong.
“There are limitations to our survey, as it is an anonymous self-reporting survey,” Kwong conceded. “Some variations in the environment cannot be controlled as well. For example, the protection gear used on July 28 was generally more advanced than that on June 12.”
But she added that she hoped Hongkongers would not be “treated as guinea pigs” regarding the effects of tear gas exposure.
Skin reactions, such as itchiness and rashes would end after a week or two, said Dr Lau Fei-lung, who chairs the clinical toxicology board at the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine.
“Theoretically speaking, the effect of inhalation and swallowing of tear gas depends on its potion. As the chemical irritates organs like the stomach, vomiting and diarrhoea could happen, but these symptoms are supposed to stop in two days,” he said.
Lau also noted that people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, might need medical attention.
The query about outdated tear gas was raised at a police news conference on Friday, after photographs circulated online of canisters displaying expiry dates long since passed.
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While a police spokesman at the news conference was unable to confirm whether the force had used expired gear, security expert and former superintendent Clement Lai Kai-chi – who helped the force set up its Counter Terrorism Response Unit – said the date on the side of the canister only represented the “best before date” and that the ammunition still had a five-year lifespan beyond it.
“The date is regarding the functionality of the round, i.e. whether the primer will still fire when the trigger hits. It is not regarding whether the smoke will be stale and cause more harm to people,” Lai said.
