Hong Kong to let some infected children stay home

HONG KONG • The Hong Kong authorities said they would allow some children who test positive for Covid-19 to remain at home, rather than be separated from their parents and hospitalised, after a public outcry from families across the city.

Some Hong Kong families had despaired over strict Covid-19 rules that saw even toddlers in some cases taken away from their parents and isolated, prompting some families to leave the city.

Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said late on Friday that not all Covid-19-positive children would be required to go to hospital.

"In general, confirmed children in stable condition can rest at home. If there is medical need for hospitalisation, they will be arranged to receive treatment and care in the paediatric isolation facilities in public hospitals."

It said it would seek to allow parents or caregivers who also test positive to enter the same wards, but that this might not always be possible given "seriously overloaded" paediatric isolation facilities in public hospitals.

The clarification came after the city announced a record 10,000 daily coronavirus cases on Friday. It added more than 17,000 confirmed and preliminary cases yesterday. Experts say the city may see as many as 180,000 cases a day next month.

As it battles the surge in cases, Hong Kong has scrambled to ramp up its construction of isolation and treatment facilities.

Universal testing will be rolled out with support from China.

The logistical challenges have prompted the authorities to announce plans for simplified procedures that will allow those testing positive with rapid tests to report their results without undergoing more stringent nucleic acid testing.

Hong Kong officially does not allow people to self-isolate, although thousands have been doing so as infections rise faster than new rooms become available.

REUTERS