The mainland epidemic prevention and control expert delegation deployed by the central government visits a residential care home in Kwai Chung on April 13, 2022, to gain a better understanding of the residential care homes in Hong Kong with regard to their environment and equipment, infection control measures as well as their management and operation. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – The mainland epidemic prevention and control expert delegation deployed by the central government to assist Hong Kong in its COVID-19 fight visited resident care homes in the city on Wednesday.

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The delegation visited residential care homes for the elderly and a residential care home for persons with disabilities to have a better grasp of the relevant epidemic prevention measures being adopted.

They also had a working meeting with Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee and other representatives from the Food and Health Bureau and the Hospital Authority to discuss prevention and control strategies in care homes.

Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee (second right) has a working meeting on the voluntary rapid antigen test and the prevention and control strategies in residential care homes for the elderly with the mainland epidemic prevention and control experts led by Kan Biao (fourth left), director of the National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at the Central Government Offices, Hong Kong, April 13, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

During a visit to two care homes in Kwai Chung districts, the delegation recommended enhancing the ventilation system and air purifying facilities to reduce the infection risks of their residents. They also recommended that the care homes strengthen nucleic acid testing for residents and their staff members.

Chan said the government is sparing no efforts in fighting the fifth wave of the pandemic.

"Having 'reducing deaths, reducing severe cases, reducing infections' as the anti-epidemic strategies, the HKSAR government is sparing no effort in curbing this wave of the epidemic and safeguarding citizens' lives,” she said.

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In addition to adopting targeted testing measures to pin down infections in the community as soon as possible, the multi-tiered triage and treatment strategy will also be strengthened to provide appropriate support for patients, especially the elderly, having regard to the severity of their medical conditions, she added.

The mainland epidemic prevention and control expert delegation deployed by the central government visits a residential care home in Kwai Chung April 13, 2022, to gain a better understanding of the residential care homes in Hong Kong with regard to their environment and equipment, infection control measures as well as their management and operation. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

The government will also continue to boost the vaccination rates of the elderly and children, Chan said.

Led by Kan Biao, director of the National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the expert delegation arrived Hong Kong on April 7 to start their work.