The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, visited Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) today (February 6) to better understand the latest service situation of public hospitals. He also thanked frontline healthcare staff for their endeavour and hard work in providing professional and quality treatment to patients.
      
     Accompanied by the Cluster Chief Executive of Hong Kong East Cluster of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Loletta So, Professor Lo and the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, visited the Specialist Outpatient Clinic, medical ward, the Accident and Emergency Department and the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Centre, followed by a meeting with the hospital management and frontline healthcare staff to learn about the latest situation of service demands and manpower deployment at the hospital.
      
     Professor Lo said, "Having gone through the anti-epidemic work in the past three years, Hong Kong is currently on the road to full normalcy. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all healthcare staff for their contributions and efforts during the epidemic in performing their duties and working tirelessly amidst immense work pressure to safeguard Hong Kong's healthcare system.
          
     "Today marks the full resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland, including the lifting of all pre-departure nucleic acid testing requirement for travelling between Hong Kong and the Mainland, the pre-departure rapid antigen testing requirement for entry from Macao, as well as the requirement for non-Hong Kong residents to be fully vaccinated for entering Hong Kong from overseas places. We expect a sharp rise in the number of people travelling to and from Hong Kong. The Government will continue to closely monitor the epidemic development and the demand for public healthcare services, and work closely with the HA to enhance the ability and capacity of the healthcare system, including ensuring adequate stock of medical supplies, formulating effective contingency plans, launching different phases of Bed Mobilisation Plans as needed, wide use of COVID-19 oral drugs, telehealth and collaboration with private hospitals."
      
     Professor Lo emphasised that COVID-19 vaccination will continue to play an important role when Hong Kong is entering the new stage of full resumption to normalcy. With the society progressing to full normalcy coupled with more frequent flow of people and social activities, citizens are encouraged to receive seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations as early as possible to protect the health of themselves and their families.

Ends/Monday, February 6, 2023
Issued at HKT 18:46

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