Schools 'failed To Prevent Respiratory Infections'

An infectious disease expert said that a recent spate of upper respiratory tract infections at schools showed that they have not done enough to guard against such outbreaks.

Dr Ho Pak-leung from the University of Hong Kong said on Wednesday it’s “alarming and worrying” after outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infections were reported at dozens of schools and kindergartens. Hundreds have fallen ill as a result.

Speaking on an RTHK programme, Ho said schools failed to take adequate measures to prevent infections.

He believes the viruses could have spread after people became less vigilant and brought children to sports venues and theme parks, and the youngsters then brought them to school.

Another expert pointed out that the recent outbreaks might have to do with a drop in temperature and more cases being reported to authorities as people are wary of Covid-19.

“Lower temperature will favour the survival of the virus in the environment. These respiratory infections tend to be more active during the colder and cooler autumn and winter seasons,” Dr Leung Chi-chiu said.

Leung also said small children who've never been infected before are more susceptible. “For many of the endemic respiratory virus infections, they tend to affect the children more because they had less chances to be exposed to the viruses.”