By: Liam Payne
Hong Kong is set to re-open the China border as the COVID outbreak continues to surge. While vaccination campaigns have improved in recent months, about half of the city’s population remains unvaccinated. However, quarantine rules that have been introduced by mainland China ensure that Hong Kong’s response to the outbreak is in line with the country’s policy on preventing diseases.
Xinjiang suspends all passenger train services to stop COVID-19
Chinese authorities have suspended all passenger train services in and out of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The regional government said the suspension would prevent the virus from spreading beyond the region.
The latest outbreak of the virus has killed 91 local residents. It has spread to 13 prefectures and 37 corps of counties. China’s National Health Commission said Thursday that 97 more cases had been diagnosed in Xinjiang.
The region’s large surveillance system relies on universal cell phone monitoring, voice recognition software and facial recognition. However, a lack of professionalism among its workers has contributed to the high infection rates.
A significant number of personnel working on nucleic acid sampling tests were nonprofessionals. This has made prevention and control difficult.
Guangzhou becomes a new epicenter in China
The COVID epidemic continues to surge in China. While the country has seen a slowdown in the number of new cases in recent weeks, the situation is far from over. Several provinces have reported hundreds of cases, including Hainan, which has had very low infection rates since the outbreak began. But the number of new cases in Guangzhou has increased significantly, with nearly 1,000 daily cases for the first time in seven weeks.
The health authorities of the State Council issued several circulars aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. One of the most important is the “dynamic clearing.” It will guide local governments to adopt specific measures to control the epidemic. This includes using temperature checks and other normal prevention techniques.
Vaccination campaign improves in recent months – but 50% of Hong Kong residents remain unvaccinated
A study in Hong Kong aims to determine which factors are most important in boosting vaccination uptake. This includes the perceived efficacy of vaccines, the level of confidence, and whether a booster dose is required. The results of this study may help to refine the overall strategy of booster vaccination campaigns.
Researchers recruited 856 Hong Kong residents aged 18 years and above from a population-based cohort. The sample was administered a first and second ‘booster’ dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. It was followed by nine follow-up rounds of surveys.
The ‘booster’ dose is given to individuals who have not been vaccinated after the initial vaccination. It is administered intramuscularly. It is intended to boost immunity and induce better systemic immune response. However, the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine is declining in vulnerable populations.
Quarantine rules put Hong Kong’s COVID response in line with mainland China’s policies
Hong Kong’s new quarantine rules for overseas arrivals put its response to the Covid-19 pandemic in line with mainland China’s policy. The city has been torn between reopening its border to the rest of the world and restricting travel from the mainland.
Since the pandemic began in January, Hong Kong has reported over one million infections. It has also reported more than 6,000 deaths. In response to the outbreak, the HKSAR imposed a mandatory 21-day hotel quarantine on all international visitors.
After a month of tightening security, the number of people entering Hong Kong via airport has dropped by 73%. A number of residents have sought to return, but the shortage of rooms and increasing prices are making it hard to find accommodations.
COVID-19 testing requirements in countries where new strains of the virus have been discovered
An ongoing survey conducted by Axios/Ipsos has tracked public perceptions and attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic since it first swept the nation in March 2020. This index measures public perceptions of the virus’s risks and spread and its impact on American health and wellness.
Several factors influence the public’s perceptions of the threat of COVID. Some of these include how people perceive their relative risk of contracting the disease. In particular, vaccinated Americans are twice as likely as unvaccinated people to feel that they are less at risk of getting the disease. Moreover, a large proportion of the population is at least somewhat aware of the newer variant of the virus.
Despite their knowledge, only one in five unvaccinated Americans would take steps to protect themselves from the disease. For example, a quarter of those who believe they may have COVID-19 will not receive the vaccine. While some of these unvaccinated individuals will limit their interactions with others, a third will not self-isolate if they do get sick.
