Calls Grow For The Govt To Suspend Flights From UK

The Chief Secretary, Matthew Cheung, on Monday expressed concern over the apparent emergence of a more infectious strain of coronavirus in the UK, saying authorities will make announcements in relation to flights from the country very soon.

Cheung’s comment at a Legco Finance Committee meeting came amid calls from medical experts and lamakers to suspend flights from the UK, where officials say the Covid-19 virus has mutated to become even more infectious.

Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung said he is worried that the mutated strain of virus will spread to the SAR, as 22% of the 1,900 imported infections here so far have come from the UK.

Infectious disease expert Leung Chi-chiu echoed Ho’s views, saying the SAR should suspend flights from the UK, or at least compel those returning from the country to be quarantined for 21 days instead of 14.

Lawmakers also said the government needs to get its act together.

"The government is acting too slowly, as in the past more than 10 months... When we look the experience of other countries, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium have all halted the flights from the UK. So we urge the government to implement measures immediately," Alice Mak from the Federation of Trade Unions said.

Meanwhile, Ho also called on the government to consider banning different households from mixing this Christmas, warning that Hong Kong may see a spike in infections if people get together for celebrations.

He said most outbreaks now take place within residential buildings, and urged the authorities to speed up sending Covid patients to hospitals and their close contacts into quarantine, to stop the virus from spreading in the community.

It can currently take five to six days for patients to be taken into hospital after they fall ill, he said.