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00:00[CC may contain inaccuracies] I don't want to downplay the impact of this so-called fifth wave of course. We've had triple digits more than 100 cases over the last four days. There is a health threat here. But at what point if I can play the devil's advocate right off the bat at what point can you say that perhaps zero Covid or dynamic zero Covid has the policies adapt is a bit futile as it proves with this latest wave that it is extremely difficult to keep the virus and its variants out of Hong Kong despite zero Covid policies. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for your question. On the one hand as you have already alluded to we are working very hard to fight the army on a virus as it has been spreading very fast as it's been known in the experience globally. So on the one hand we are still adopting the dynamic zero strategies using our measures and measures including obviously is the contact tracing and strengthening and expanding our compulsory testing and also quarantining people either at home quarantine or quarantine at the quarantine center or the hotels as well as putting people into hospitals or isolation if they are confirmed cases. On the one hand obviously you know this is going on and we are fighting fear fearlessly and time is of the essence. But on the other hand I think we need to before we can say anything about you know relaxing. We are also trying our very best to increase our vaccination rate because we think this is also very important. Hong Kong's overall vaccination rate is about 18 78 percent cent. And but then if you look at the different age groups the elders for example those who are about 80 80 years of age is only about 30 percent. So I think we need to really ramp up our vaccination rate especially among the elderly so that everybody is protected in the in the community before we can sort of slow to strategize these strategies. On the other hand we understand with this very stringent measure for example border controls and because we have to prevent importation of cases as well as preventing this virus from going into the community. There are a lot of you know troubles being affected. We are on the one hand assessing the risk of different countries. And on the other hand we are also looking at our data scientifically to see the incubation period of the Army Corps to see whether there is a room for you know adjustments on our measures. So we are sort of working on a different me. Let me just. Let let let me let me. I apologize for interrupting you but I I think we're getting to the crux of the issue that is affecting sentiment here in Hong Kong obviously within the banking community the international community. Locals as well. And that is what is the roadmap. And why hasn't the government properly articulated that roadmap as far as benchmarks. If we hit X percentage of total vaccinations 90 percent we can relax some of these restrictions such as the flight bans as well as the 21 day quarantines and the like. It seems like it's more of an ad hoc. Week by week approach that is leading to lots of frustration and lots of companies as well. American Chamber of Commerce is saying you know there's no light at the end of the tunnel tunnel. Bank of America saying because of the Covid rules and they're moving staff to Singapore it's a knock down consequence of unintended consequences. And we just need to get a clearer view of the strategy going forward for an exit strategy or is this in perpetuity. I understand you know there are frustrations because of our very stringent measures but then our strategy is very clear and we need to protect our people the safety and also health of our people in the community. And this is also the expectations of our people as well. So at this stage we are still adopting the dynamic zero strategy. On the one on the other hand I would disagree with that. It is an ad hoc sort of a week by week obviously not week by week. Every day we are assessing the risk and you know coming up with measures. But if you look at the strategy we are still adopting these zero dynamic SEO strategies so that all our measures are really going to what's the aim of zero. So it must be stringent. But because of the Akron taking over you know downtown globally. So we are also looking on the other hand on on on the data. For example the only cron incubation period in the end people so that if there are rooms or adjustments of the quarantine period we will do so. All right. Is home quarantine a feasible possibility. If and when and do you see this possibility. The infrastructure whether it's at the Penny's Bay facility or in hospitals and the lengthy quarantines that have caused this and this outbreak as it expands can home quarantine or other areas of change a possible. Yes I think before actually last December when the rest of the world are facing the army cron. Very severe situation. We are already preparing for the coming of the first waves. So one of the options obviously if we have use up all our penny penny space capacity which is not unlimited. Yes. Home quarantine would be an option. But of course we would have to assess the risk as to who will be going to stay and who will be having home quarantine. So home quarantine is an option but there are also other challenges that would bring about you know home quarantine. If we are thinking of home quarantine where people cannot come out. So there is another issue of supplies and how people can maintain day daily living within the home. If they do not have supplies you know that it would be a Mountie Department collaboration and cooperation in order to make this work. We just showed a statistic about the number of people who have gotten the vaccinations here in Hong Kong. And overwhelmingly you see more than 77 percent of working age people from 20 to 59 or thereabouts have gotten their vaccinations. But we all know here in Hong Kong that less than 20 or thereabouts 20 percent of 80 plus year olds the elderly have gotten it. I'm going to ask the insensitive question here. Why do the rest of Hong Kong have to pay for the elderly who refuse to get it. And why have your policies failed to convince them to do it. Well I think we have been doing very trying our very best to facilitate to find out you know why are the elderly not taking the vaccinations and trying to facilitate the vaccination especially for the elderly and doing more unit especially in the elderly home and trying to educate the public. For example the relatives of the elders so that they would not disallow you know their parents unit to take vaccination especially dose in the elderly course. So we have been doing a lot all along. You know the graph that you have shown in fact is not the latest. So the latest is that over 80 over 80 each group there is about 70 percent. So you know it has worked but then it is not. It is not as fast as we would like it to be. But we are having so the measures you know the social welfare department who is responsible for elderly home is working tirelessly on different measures. And we are having you know another campaign you know go into the elderly home to do so. The vaccination in the coming while. Are you in favor of mandating vaccines. We've gotten to the point where two years in here and there is no way out. It seems under zero Covid. Why not mandate it. Well we we still have not gone to sort of mandating people in taking vaccines but we are having different strategies. For example the vaccine passed. So we will be we have already started in some of the restaurants that people can't go into some of the restaurants and if they are not vaccinated. Our boss Kara Okies are already adopting you know just measures. So we will be extending our next spending. You know this vaccine bubble or vaccine costs measure into law more premises. For example hotels for example more on catering businesses schools government buildings and so on and so forth. So we will be pushing this out after Chinese New Year. There's been a lot of talk about if Hong Kong reaches 90 percent vaccination its 70 plus right now. Is that a number you look at as a benchmark that we can then start making some relaxation of at the border. I'm not talking about China because that's dependent on how China gets its virus situation under control. But I'm talking about international travel and also some of these social restrictions. Is 90 percent a number or do you not trust the vaccines well enough. Well of course you know we trust the vaccines. We asked people you know to take vaccines. But scientifically we we understand that vaccines are good in protecting people from severe illness and also protecting people from the risks of dying. But at the same time it may not totally work. So preventing people will be attracted but after people being impacted you know they would have less severe symptoms and so on. So on the one hand we are pushing vaccination rate. Obviously if you go up to 90 percent or over 90 percent you that means 90 percent of our people are protected at least even if they got Army cross in a day would have less symptoms and so on. So I think obviously we want the vaccination rate to get as high as possible. But as I've said earlier if we are looking at our border control measures it would have to depend on a global pandemic. You know how the rest of the world a ISE are doing in terms of the epidemic situation number one. And number two we are going to follow the science of immigration and also the incubation period in order to adjust you know islands quarantine days and so on. And taking into consideration our basic strategy is still a dynamic zero. Well the science of the virus also tells us that the Chinese homegrown traditional vaccines Sinopec and Sino Farm are not as effective against Omicron and the variance as the M RNA varieties which let's face it China has not greenlighted the use of Pfizer beyond tech and other M RNA. They're developing their own MRI A which latest study indicates it is not necessarily as effective yet and not nearly ready for mass adoption. Is that going to be the key. China's introduction of its own MRSA as as the health secretary and a doctor yourself. What does the science tell you about that. Well I think in Hong Kong we have two vaccine. We have two vaccines available for all people one a C Sino that. Know that is the inactivated virus platform and the other one is MRSA. The beyond tax. So I think about 60 percent of people are taking you know beyond tech and 40 percent of people are taking Sino back. Our experts have told us that both vaccines are effective in protecting oneself from. If you if you get the idea being infected then you are being protected or protected from less severe symptoms as well as you know the risk of dying or the lower and going to ICU would be lower. I think this is the basics. Do you see China. What are you in your dialogue with China. We're going to talk about the border here. Both international flights and just a minute because we know there's been a ban there. But what's the latest on the border. Obviously we're in the middle of a wave. We're in the middle of the Olympics about to start in a couple of weeks. Are you getting any indication that China on its side of the border will be able to open the border with Hong Kong soon. Well we have been trying to discuss you know through our communication channels with China about resuming quarantine free travel. Hong Kong and China. So the work is ongoing. Of course you know we have this a recent outbreak. So. Well this is really not the time you know to to stop this quarantine free travel with China. But we have in November you know a team of China experts and mainland experts from their Nationals House Commission came to Hong Kong and they think you know the Hong Kong measures are active and we actually have attained the conditions of full quarantine troubles. So east of cooperation works that is ongoing. But right now it's on hold obviously given this this wave right now and perhaps it is to say that what's going to happen across the border. Let's talk about international travel. It is a key issue for much of our audience that is watching this right now whether it's international business. Also people here who feel kind of stuck in Hong Kong are those flight bans going to be given the current situation be extended. Again I believe a review is going to be tomorrow. Will it be another two weeks and again every week or every two weeks. It's a constant review of this. Yes we are reviewing the overall situation. And as I've said the it very much depends on the epidemic situation of the countries in terms of the bans. But at the same time we are also reviewing our quarantine period. And because now only KRON actually overtake Delta even globally. So we are doing a review every day. And once we have some adjustments we will announce. Will there be a review though tomorrow. I believe Grant given the current situation today. Does that warrant from a health perspective the further delay postponement or cancellation of these international flights from the high risk countries like the United States like the UK. I mean businesses really do need to plan. Secretary Chan I'm sure you recognize that. Yes. If you want to look at a global situation also for example the countries that you have just mentioned. It seems that it is still on the rise. So I think dollar assessment would be based on you know those latest epidemic situations you know by our Center for Health Protection not the Department of Justice. And once we will once we have made a decision we will make announcements. If I can go back to the China border under what conditions and what conditions have Beijing officials given you the latest information. What conditions when this wave subsides what conditions must you meet. Well I think it's true for example during our discussion in November and December. Hong Kong has obtained a dynamic seemingly infection in the community. So at that point you know we have met the criteria and the thing is the overall situation that asshole also quarantine sorry troubles. But obviously we are working on for example this expansion mechanism. So at what point would stop. For example if we have an outbreak and also along a border a lot of units sort of border operation in opening or reopening of the border with China. So those work are actually continuing. But as you have already alluded to earlier you know now it is on hold because of you know the outbreak. And we are putting our focus you know on to trying to cut the epidemic at this point in time and racing with the virus. And now Secretary Chen I want to bring up this draft report that came from the European Chamber of Commerce predicting it's still a long ways out but predicting that this lockdown because of the zero Covid or dynamic zero policies of Hong Kong this could isolate Hong Kong through 20 24. That is another two years. So four years of isolation. I know you have to take the health concerns you know with the business concerns because you know a lot of people are saying this is this is killing Hong Kong is definitely hurting. I'm questioning whether Cathay Pacific for one can even survive. Would you agree with this assessment from the European Chamber of Commerce that this because of your policies could isolate Hong Kong through 2024. Well if you asked me obviously you know public health considerations is number one. But I'm also optimistic because in the past two years the Hong Kong government have already built up capacity in terms of fighting with the virus and also the different measures that we are taking. On the one hand from the public health perspective the most important thing is to protect our people from some house and also safety. But on the other hand you know the other ministers for example you know business ministers and commerce ministers and the overall government would take into consideration the overall situation and also other considerations in balancing the entire situation including not only public health but also economic situation. We talked about the potential hitting of a ceiling if you will on the facilities we know Penny's Bay the camp where the quarantine individuals have to go. It's reaching capacity. Can you tell us how much more room you actually have. I know you can add hotel rooms but again there's been lots of criticisms from people flying in and having to stay there short staffed. You can't get people on the phone. There's some sanitary issues. We're seeing the same kind of complaints that quite in the states which have been locked down in this dynamic zero phase of prevention. But where do you need. Where are your shortfalls and when are you going to hit that maximum. I think I saw this on Micron wave because time is of the essence. So everything really happened very fast. So therefore we have been reviewing you know the manpower unit and a mob mentality in Japan each day and into sort of containing these are locked down. So within the question estate trying to improve safety situations you know day by day. On the one hand you know there are no bottlenecks because we we have seen lots of different departments you know trying to help with all these different measures. On the other hand we are also rattling. I was with ALEC you know testing capacities. So we are sort of losing you know to what's ours. Still dynamic severe infections. But at the same time our capacities also you know something that we are trying to ramp up at different places because it's been running so fast. I know we need to wrap this up but I just want to leave it here where I ask you are you optimistic or pessimistic that we can return to some sort of normalcy within a year. I am optimistic. If you ask me. What gives you that optimism. Well I think we are in control of the virus. On the one hand we see Army Cron you know infecting you know infecting people and moving spreading very fast. But on the other hand you know we are very clear in terms of our strategy and we know how to do it. So therefore is the capacity and also you know some sort of frontline operation no issues that we have to iron out. And also you know bottleneck. On the other hand there are many successful experience. There are many good commendations from Penny Spade. So I think it is important for us to sort of balance and not only look at negative comments we received lots of positive comments as well. So you know I'm optimistic and we are in control. Well are you optimistic about reducing the length of hotel quarantine from 21 days. That's what everyone really wants to know here in the business community. Can it happen within the next few months. Well I am optimistic as well because we have already shortened the quarantine period in penny space from 21 days to 14 days. When looking at the scientific data you know from the incubation period of immigrants. So we are sort of assessing and making the risk assessments every day.

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Hong Kong Is Reviewing Quarantine Periods, Health Secretary Says

Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan discusses the city's efforts in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Hong Kong has continued to hew to a zero-tolerance approach along with mainland China, a strategy that’s required increasingly aggressive measures as the virus mutates to become more transmissible. Chan speaks with Stephen Engle on "Bloomberg Markets: Asia." (Source: Bloomberg)

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