Hotels reject hospital staff too scared to go home

Hotels reject hospital staff too scared to go home

Dr Chung Kin-lai says it's safe for hotels to accommodate medical workers. Photo: RTHK

Dr Chung Kin-lai

The Hospital Authority said on Friday that some medical staff are scared to go home in case they infect their families with the new Wuhan virus, but some hotels are reluctant to put them up.



The authority’s director for quality and safety, Dr Chung Kin-lai, said some staff taking care of patients who are infected, or suspected to be infected, with the Sars-like virus are worried about returning to their relatives after their shifts.



He said more than 260 rooms within hospital premises have been designated as staff accommodation.



Chung said the authority is trying to rent hotel rooms for staff, but while some have agreed to house medical workers, others have turned down the requests.



He sought to allay concerns, saying hotels do not need to be too worried about infection risks.



“All our staff are well-trained in infectious control and they have their full gear when they see patients. So I’d like to say the risk is quite low,” he said.



Earlier in the day, medical sector legislator Pierre Chan appealed to the government to share some of its supplies of surgical masks with healthcare workers, saying many are struggling to find masks to wear outside of work.