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Hong Kong hospital authorities have made a U-turn to permit mother and father of Covid-positive youngsters to accompany them in paediatric wards, no matter their very own Covid standing, as the town’s “fifth wave” of the virus eases.
Many toddlers had been hospitalised in the course of the Omicron-fuelled outbreak, which peaked this month, authorities knowledge confirmed. However till current days, solely mother and father who additionally examined constructive had been allowed to stay in the identical ward as their youngsters.
As much as 2,000 youngsters beneath the age of 10 had been separated from their mother and father over the previous 5 to 6 weeks after being admitted to hospital, in line with a neighborhood charity that accused the federal government of “little one abuse”.
The coverage additionally brought on outrage amongst mother and father and campaigners. “We have now hardly seen any dad or mum allowed to be admitted into hospital with their contaminated youngsters,” Dr Lucy Lord, the chief chair of psychological well being charity Thoughts Hong Kong, instructed native media. “That is unacceptable. That is little one abuse on any degree.”
However on Tuesday the town’s Hospital Authority instructed the Guardian the coverage had been reversed. “Even for fogeys or carers who’re examined destructive for Covid‐19, we’ll search the settlement of the Centre for Well being Safety, in order that the general public hospitals may also accommodate their request for accompanying the paediatric affected person, topic to availability of isolation capacities,” it stated.
The authority added that youngsters in a secure situation might relaxation at dwelling, and if mother and father or carers had been additionally confirmed as having the virus and wished to deal with their youngsters, the hospital would prepare for them to remain in the identical ward.
Hong Kong-based overseas consulates together with the US and Australia had raised issues over the isolation coverage. The US authorities on 2 March suggested towards travelling to Hong Kong, citing Covid restrictions, “together with the danger of fogeys and youngsters being separated”.
On Monday, the Hospital Authority defended its earlier coverage. Dr Sara Ho Yuen-ha, the chief supervisor for affected person security and danger administration, stated it “wanted to strike a stability between [serving] the wants of the sick youngsters admitted and arranging to have them accompanied”.
Ho blamed the controversial observe on the fifth wave and stated it had unfold in a short time and lots of sick youngsters wanted to be hospitalised. Native media reported that two youngsters aged beneath three and 6 youngsters beneath 12 had died after contracting Covid throughout theoutbreak.
On Tuesday, Hong Kong confirmed 7,596 new coronavirus circumstances – a fourth consecutive day of decline in numbers. However specialists warned that determine was more likely to enhance within the coming weeks.
Prof David Hui Shu-cheong, the federal government’s pandemic adviser, stated: “[The daily figure of] about 7,000 to eight,000 continues to be at a excessive degree. What we’re apprehensive most about now could be there would be the Ching Ming pageant and Easter holidays [in April]. If there are extra public gatherings, we’re apprehensive there will likely be a rebound [in infections].”
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