New approach to epidemics needed, says Pierre Chan

Medical sector lawmaker Dr Pierre Chan was speaking on RTHK's "Letter to Hong Kong". Photo: RTHK

Medical sector lawmaker Dr Pierre Chan says the government must be better prepared for any future epidemic, as its response to the current outbreak of the potentially-fatal respiratory disease Covid-19 had been belated. He also called for the use of technology to make sure quarantine restrictions were being followed.



Speaking on RTHK's "Letter to Hong Kong", he said during the current outbreak the Hospital Authority had found itself low on stock.



"Our frontline colleagues were furious about the chronic shortage of surgical masks and personal protective equipment that exacerbated the battle against the Covid-19 outbreak," he said.



Dr Chan said the general public had also found it hard to get hold of enough masks and hand sanitiser, even though the 2003 Sars outbreak, which infected 1,755 people in Hong Kong and killed 299, was still fresh in many people's minds.



Dr Chan also called on the government to use technology to make sure people under mandatory quarantine stay where they should be, saying current quarantine enforcement was too easy to evade.



"While there are random checks and phone calls to see if those under quarantine are staying put, this cannot entirely remove the risk, with the arrangements greatly reliant on people's self-discipline," he said.



Dr Chan suggested using surveillance technology to track suspected cases - such as location-tracking smartphones, wristbands, and webcams - and the use of Artificial Intelligence to direct infrared sensors at the foreheads of moving passengers at railway stations and at airports.