Hong Kong’s Comprehensive Strategy to Guard Against SARS

Hong Kong has drawn up a comprehensive package of measures to ensure a swifter and better coordinated response to emergencies arising from SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

Speaking at a press conference on September 22, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Dr. Yeoh Eng-kiong, said this action checklist - the packaged measures - reflected the three-pronged approach adopted by the Government : 1) the implementation of comprehensive cross-community measures to prevent a resurgence of the disease; 2) adoption of an effective system for keeping the disease under surveillance; and 3) the adoption of an emergency response system to dictate swift actions to combat the disease. 

Dr Yeoh said the contingency plan would help provide a clear command structure for strategic decision-making, set out distinct roles and responsibilities for different parties and establish the line of command for launching various types of operations and the required response time where appropriate.

The contingency plan covered all possible scenarios and established three levels of government response: 

* Alert Level: activated when (a) there are laboratory-confirmed SARS cases outside Hong Kong; or (b) there is a SARS Alert (falling within the World Health Organisation definition) in Hong Kong 

* Level 1: activated when one or more laboratory-confirmed SARS cases occur in Hong Kong in a sporadic manner 

* Level 2: activated when there are signs of local transmission of the disease 

At the Alert Level, Hong Kong’s Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HWFB), the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) would be the main parties taking action and monitoring developments. 

At Level 1 and 2 outbreaks, a high-powered steering committee would be set up to determine the HKSAR Government's response. 

At Level 1, if SARS cases were occurring in a sporadic manner, the steering committee would be chaired by the HKSAR Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food. It would formulate overall disease-control strategy and decide on the measures appropriate to different scenarios. 

It would also co-ordinate the work of DH, HA and universities in combating the disease and give direction on the overall communications strategy. 

At Level 2, if there were signs that SARS had spread to the local community, the HKSAR Chief Executive would assume chairmanship of the steering committee and take overall command. 

The steering committee would formulate overall disease-control strategy and be responsible for decisions that would have a wider impact on the community. It would direct mobilisation of resources and draw up urgent legislative amendments and decide on measures to minimise the socio-economic impacts caused by the epidemic. 

"The contingency plan will be regularly updated and fine-tuned based on local and overseas experience and as knowledge about the disease increases," Dr. Yeoh said. 

On preventive measures, Dr Yeoh said concerned Government departments, non-government organisations, health professionals, community organisations and related organisations would implement preventive measures from now through the winter months. 

While stepping up their own efforts, they would also urge their respective sectors or trades to take necessary precautions and to stay on alert to ensure that a high level of preparedness is maintained on all fronts. 

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