Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (1st left) gets a briefing on the construction of the Tsing Yi isolation facilities which were completed in about a week, Feb 28, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor inspected the first community isolation facility in Tsing Yi and met the mainland’s COVID-19 experts visiting Hong Kong on Monday.

Lam said that with the central authorities’ staunch support, 2,000 employees working day and night finished the Tsing Yi construction project in about a week.

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Completed by a mainland contractor under the commissioning of the central authorities, the Tsing Yi venue will provide about 3,900 beds for COVID-19 patients with no or mild symptoms and those who need to be isolated.

Lam welcomed the third group of mainland medical experts led by Liang Wannian, head of the National Health Commission anti-COVID-19 leading group at the Shenzhen Bay Port

Lam also welcomed the third group of mainland medical experts led by Liang Wannian, head of the National Health Commission anti-COVID-19 leading group at the Shenzhen Bay Port.

She thanked Liang for coming to Hong Kong, saying that his rich anti-COVID-19 experience would be instrumental to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s fight against the severe epidemic.

During an interview at the control point, Lam told reporters that the details of the compulsory universal testing scheme to be launched in March are being worked out, and Hong Kong’s circumstances and the public’s views would be taken into account during the process.

She also stressed that as the supplies of food and goods remain normal and air cargo operations continue, the public need not worry. They should stay vigilant and pay attention to the information disseminated by the government in order to avoid being misled by rumors.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (center right) talks with National Health Commission COVID-19 leading task force head Liang Wannian (center left), Feb 28, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

The HKSAR government has been working closely with the Guangdong and Shenzhen authorities to devise more means to ensure the stable supply of fresh food, vegetables and other goods from the mainland to Hong Kong, including the Sea Express service launched recently and the transportation of goods by railway being planned for implementation, she added. 

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Moreover, Lam met the mainland medical expert delegation staying in Hong Kong since Feb 19.

The delegation shared the mainland’s experiences in the configuration and clinical management of isolation facilities and their views about the medical arrangements for treating severely ill patients in the city.

Lam expressed her gratitude to the experts for calling on a number of medical facilities to understand Hong Kong’s situation and conducting in-depth discussions on the diagnosis and treatment of cases.