China will assist Hong Kong in dealing with a spreading COVID-19 outbreak by providing testing, treatment, and quarantine capacity, Chief Secretary John Lee said on Saturday, adding that a mainland-style lockdown was not planned for the time being.
Hong Kong and mainland China are among the only places in the world that are still attempting to contain every COVID-19 outbreak, although the Omicron version has proven difficult to contain.
Lee, Health Secretary Sophia Chan, and Security Chief Chris Tang were among the members of a delegation that travelled to Shenzhen on Friday and Saturday to meet with mainland Chinese officials about assistance measures.
The measures will provide breathing room for Hong Kong as medical capacity is stretched on all fronts, albeit no particular specifics of the plans were provided, and it was unclear how quickly they could be executed.
“We were all on the same wavelength at the meeting,” Lee told reporters upon his return from Shenzhen. “All assistance will be supplied. We agreed on quick tests and assistance in constructing isolation facilities. At this time, there are no plans for a lockdown.”
According to Lee, the prospective assistance includes lab personnel, hospital beds, and protective equipment. Chinese officials have also committed to ensure supplies of vegetables and fresh goods to Hong Kong, following a scarcity in the city. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-leader-says-city-will-stick-with-dynamic-zero-covid-strategy-now-2022-02-08 such things earlier this week when truck drivers who tested positive for COVID-19 were unable to bring them in.
Post Your Comments