9th Feb: CE Carrie Lam's Press Conference

[shri]

Lets see if the issues related to the Sinopharm Vaccine (no need for published phase 3 trial results) and the dual nationality + other NSL issues get covered in today's media briefing.

Will attempt to live stream it here in English:

https://youtu.be/V-510AWan6M?t=669

[shri]

9:48 and Started....

Major Topics Covered:

Announcements

• Appeals to people to reduce activities at CNY - Family gatherings, wash hands etc.. no word on U-traps. Hoping to get to normal soon-ish. Outbreak is subsiding and seeking "0 infection" - number of new cases is dropping in the past 7 days (181, 26/day - low two digit level). Down from peaks of 600+ per week in this wave. A drop of 70%. Less than 7 untraceable per day. Sewage surveillance program identifies possible cases from areas in positive results.
  
• RT number is down to 0.6, down from 3. RTD - has tested over 40,000 (ambush testing) and identified 4 people. "This is a good sign."
  
  
• From day 1-4 of CNY temporary testing facilities will operate shorter hours.

Resumption

• Resumption - First will be students where it is safe. After CNY finishes, arrangements will be made for class resumption.
  
• Second - facilities that have been closed. (Public can go enjoy model aircraft flying fields..)

Q&A

• Sinopharm - Public is concerned about the vaccination. Authorisation mechanism for covid-19 vaccine has a new regulation (599K) which allows imported vaccine to be approved quickly. 1) Submit clinical data for phase 1, 2 or 3. 2) Authorised by competent authorities 3) Medical journals.
  
  With medical justification - when other factors are convincing all three types of data are not required.
  
  Over 22M doses have been ordered. Vaccine supply is tight.
  
  Don't be politically motivated.
  
• Testing of students and teachers - Testing capabilities have been enhanced. Sec Ed has clarified that this is voluntary (?).
  
• No Jury In NSL Trial - No comment on judicial proceedings and following the law.
  
• SCMP NSL Law - Protecting safety of Jurors
  
  No comment on individual cases under judicial process or national security cases.
  
• British Consulate - HK no longer recognises Dual Nationality
  
  British govt has violated the exchanged "memorandum of understanding" - BNO is a travel document and proof of identity. This understanding is now been breached.
  
  In Hong Kong institutions there are two authorative documents - one is the Vienna convention on dual nationality - where recognised (certainly not in China under national law). The 1996 explanation of standing committee - where people have right of abode or nationality elsewhere - unless renounced, they're Chinese national.
  
  This is strictly impemented.
  
• Will Ambush testing still be continued during CNY?
  
  25 such operations have been run. Has proven to be effective. Given importance attached to CNY - these operations will be conducted till tomorrow. Will proceed only on need basis if there is a candidate area. As things stand, barring unforeseeable circumstances - No RTD during CNY
  
• Reform of Liberal Studies
  
  "Will the curriculum be a new version of National Education?"
  
  Liberal studies is a compulsory subject and "there are a lot of problems" without approved curriculum and approved textbooks. Govt is determined to educate students in a proper way. Reform will not be "national education" but designed to teach students to have a better understanding of the country and the world.
  
  High level of acceptance (believed) in Legco and Education sector - do teachers need to be trained from fresh - training arrangements will be made. Teachers have been engaged in self enhancement courses and hopes that everyone will be objective about this.
  
• Why is Sinovac allowed to waive Phase III data publication in Journals?
  
  Dr Chan has explained that normal process is years long - but this time around the whole world is on a faster track. Emergency use approach is in place over conventional methodology.
  
  Under the law there is a requirement of a recommendation by advisory panel, put in use outside HK and data requirement of various trial phases + information supplied globally - third requirement is to publish data in journals. All three requirements are not mandatory.
  
  Following procedure and public wants the vaccination as soon as possible.
  
  Experts will not be held liable and have immunity. Indemnity fund has been setup.
  
  If something happens after the vaccination an application can be made to the fund, if there are quality issues (manufacturing etc). (Not sure what the fine print is..)
  

[ByeByeEngland]

So completely swerved any additional CNY restrictions apart from appealing to people? Pointless - look forward to the spikes 10-14 days after CNY and going back almost to square one again - just as figures were coming down and looking relatively stable

[er2]

Original Post Deleted

The fact that people like you, without the tiniest understanding of science, medicine or apparently even tenth grade math are able to confidently sprout their nonsense without consequences is really the largest downside of social media. Literally every country that has followed the strategy that you're advocating has been hit with IC beds filled to the brim (and, for what it's worth, with thousands of dead nurses and doctors, which basically died because people like you care more about their partying). When people claimed that seatbelts would strangulate them, at least it was only their own brains scattered on the steering wheel.

[shri]

@er2 - I don't think the poster is suggesting that they're being denied the "right to party" ...

[er2]

@er2 - I don't think the poster is suggesting that they're being denied the "right to party" ...

Large number of other posts complaining how Singapore restricts you to eating and drinking out in small groups only. Now of course his friends might all be bores like me and then even a group of 50 ain't no party. But I think the extrapolation from requesting to go to a bar with a large group of friend to "requesting to party" is acceptable.

[MatthieuTofu]

9:48 and Started....

• Sinopharm - (shouldn't it be re-Sinovac?)
  
  Over 22M doses have been ordered. Vaccine supply is tight.
  
  Don't be politically motivated.

I appreciate her naive belief that people aren't getting it simply because of it being from up north but the AstraZeneca has a similarly low take-up rate based on polling that has been done. Hong Kong seems to unfortunately have chosen the wrong vaccines.

[shri]

I appreciate her naive belief that people aren't getting it simply because of it being from up north but the AstraZeneca has a similarly low take-up rate based on polling that has been done. Hong Kong seems to unfortunately have chosen the wrong vaccines.

I would beg to differ.. At this point other than the sinopharm vaccine the others seem to do the job based on data, not polling..

[merchantms]

So completely swerved any additional CNY restrictions apart from appealing to people? Pointless - look forward to the spikes 10-14 days after CNY and going back almost to square one again - just as figures were coming down and looking relatively stable

The biggest risk during CNY will be family gatherings and HK cannot enforce a ban on that. Singapore with its culture of snitching can perhaps but not here. All we (who don’t celebrate CNY) can do is hope people are responsible.

[Sage]

What makes anyone here think that family gatherings aren't already occurring?

With bars and restaurants shut do you think they're all just hiding at home? I've been to numerous house parties in the last few months and judging by the shoes outside the flats in my building, I'm far from being the only one.