Full steam ahead on Tsing Yi isolation facility

The Chief Secretary for Administration, John Lee, convened an inter-departmental meeting on Monday, to press full steam ahead with the commissioning of the community isolation facility (CIF) in Tsing Yi, and to ensure that ancillary facilities can accommodate emergency needs.

Supported by the Central Government, work on the CIE commenced last week and the facility has been largely completed in recent days.

During the meeting, Lee was briefed on construction progress of the facility and the preparatory works on its daily management by the Development Bureau and the Security Bureau.

The Food and Health Bureau also reported on the preparatory work and support for medical personnel who will provide services at the facilities.

Lee pointed out that in view of the severe epidemic situation, there is a serious shortage of such isolation facilities.

He instructed all relevant bureaux and departments to make every effort to prepare for the speedy setting up of the Tsing Yi CIF so that it can be commissioned as soon as possible after the contractor hands it over, to receive infected persons with no or mild symptoms and other persons who need to be isolated.

It will deliver around 3,900 additional beds for emergency community isolation.

The government also announced that from Tuesday, the Children Community Vaccination Centre at Yuen Chau Kok Sports Centre, which is currently run by the Hospital Authority, will be operated by the CUHK Medical Centre. The centre will continue to administer the BioNTech vaccine to children aged five to 11.

“The Government is in full throttle to let more healthcare personnel of private medical organisations to participate in the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme so as to allow the Hospital Authority to free up more frontline staff to provide care to Covid-19 confirmed patients,” the Secretary for the Civil Service, Patrick Nip, said.