Fight against COVID-19 under the new normal

Dear colleagues,

The COVID-19 outbreak has struck at the heart of our public healthcare system. Our colleagues, ranging from clinical professionals and supporting staff to laboratory technicians, infection control teams, and administration and IT professionals have worked together day and night to safeguard the health of citizens. I am truly moved by your selfless contributions and deeply thankful for your heroic endeavours. Each one of you has played a vital part in our collective struggle against the coronavirus.

As the virus spread inexorably, the Hospital Authority has shouldered a great responsibility by being at the forefront of the battle to protect people from the disease. We drew on the experience and wisdom of our predecessors and adopted a containment strategy, enhancing laboratory surveillance to lower the risk of community spread. Meanwhile, our facilities were transformed to prepare us to deal with the surge in cases, and colleagues were assigned to support Hong Kong residents both within the city and overseas. You have shown your professionalism and commitment, going above and beyond the call of duty as we fight the virus. Your tremendous efforts are greatly appreciated.

Although the situation in some parts of the world has eased slightly, there are still widespread outbreaks around the other regions. The pandemic is a global scourge, and Hong Kong cannot afford to let down its guard for a moment. We are not immune from the risk of further infections and more deaths. 

We must, therefore, make the very best use of this time to prepare for the next potential outbreak and to adapt to the new normal. Non-emergency services in public hospitals will be resumed in stages with new planning in areas such as infection control, crowd management, and consultation procedures. Our service model will also be modified with the greater deployment of information technology. Patients will be informed of consultation times to avoid crowds and minimise the risk of infection, for instance, while telecare will be used for follow-up care for patients who do not need a physical examination, in order to better protect healthcare professionals and visitors.

The battle against the pandemic is still far from over. We must remain flexible and proactive and adjust to the evolution of the disease and government policy as we continue to do everything in our power to safeguard the health of Hong Kong people. We must stand firm against the enduring threat of infection so that, together, we will one day triumph in this uphill battle.

Henry Fan Hung-ling
Chairman, Hospital Authority