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The government's proposal to exempt foreign-trained doctors from local licensing examinations will jeopardize the health of Hongkongers, the Hong Kong Medical Association said in a press conference today. The government’s proposal is an attempt to alleviate long waiting times in public hospitals. On Feb. 4, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor proposed an amendment to the Medical Registration Ordinance that would allow Hong Kong permanent residents who have graduated from an accredited overseas medical school and worked in a Hong Kong public health institution for at least five years to be exempted from the examination required to become registered doctors in Hong Kong. “The purpose of the Medical Council of Hong Kong's professional qualification examination for doctors is to ensure the quality of doctors,” said Dr David Fang Jin-sheng, the former president of HKMA, which includes more than 8,000 local medical practitioners. Dr Choi Kin, the president of HKMA, said that the examination not only treats all doctors from outside Hong Kong fairly but also ensures that all doctors practicing in Hong Kong meet their standards. Waiting times for specialists in the public system range from two months to nearly three years, according to Hospital Authority statistics. The government's plan to address the shortage of doctors in the public sector was not the right solution to the problem, the HKMA said. To make full use of the existing medical staff, the HKMA said that the government should allocate additional funds for hiring nurses, support staff and additional medical facilities such as hospital beds and operating rooms. With the increasing number of medical students in recent years, there will be about 510 local medical graduates this year, a 13.3% rise from 450 last year, according to HKMA. “Most of the graduates last year went on to work in public hospitals,” said …

A health expert on the government’s COVID-19 advisory panel denied on Monday that the mainland’s Sinovac Biotech vaccine is being exempted from peer review. Professor David Hui Shu-cheong stressed that the vaccine will not be approved for public use before the data is published in a medical journal.  “We are just trying to have an earlier meeting based on information that they provided to the World Health Organization or to the China National Medical Products Administration so that we can actually have some data to work on,” said Professor Hui, a respiratory medicine expert from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The government announced last Friday that it would consider whether Sinovac should be approved for use in Hong Kong based on Phase 3 clinical data the company submitted to the World Health Organization. Sinovac said earlier that it was having difficulties compiling the relevant information for publication in a short period of time, according to a government press release. Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee denied yesterday that the government was  lowering its standards with the exemption. He explained that the publication process typically takes two to three months, including a lengthy peer review process where the manufacturer has to answer all questions presented by its external referees.  “Eventually they will be able to publish,” Professor Hui said. “But we don’t want to wait for two to three months doing nothing.” The government ordered 7.5 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine in December 2020. Delivery was expected in January, but was delayed because the advisory panel was awaiting for more clinical information. Sinovac has provided the Department of Health with its Phases 1 and 2 clinical data, based on studies in Brazil and Turkey. The Phase 3 clinical data has been submitted to the World Health …

Wai Lee Building in Quarry Bay was locked down for mandatory COVID-19 testing in the evening.  The 23-storey building with 430 units was the second of three buildings to be locked down on Sunday, including Hoi Fu Court in Mongkok and Cheong Lok Mansions in Hung Hom.  Police officers and medical personnel arrived at the Wai Lee Building today at 7:30pm, and enforced the lockdown. A gate and several booths were placed outside the building. Every entrant had to be registered.  “Two infections were confirmed last night,” said Cheung Kwok-kwan, a district councilor assistant. “We expected this to happen.” According to  government statistics, both infected individuals are local residents. One was a 54-year-old male whose symptoms started on Feb 3 and was confirmed to have been infected on Feb 6  His case is epidemiologically related to a local case.  Another infection was a 18-year-old male who started to have signs of coronavirus on Feb 2. His infection was also confirmed on Feb 6.  “The residents wanted to have the mandatory testing,” said Annie Lee Ching-har, a district councilor. “After knowing that there are two infections in the building, they think it is best to have everyone tested in order to ensure the safety of themselves, their families and neighbor.” Both Mr Cheung and Ms Lee said, residents were expecting the lockdown to happen either today or tomorrow.  Given previous lockdowns, Wai Lee Building was expected to reopen at around 7am tomorrow, said Ms Lee. Residents would be able to go to work if the lockdown is lifted between 6 to 7am.  “I don’t think I can go to work on time tomorrow,” said Leung Fai-wing, a resident of Wai Lee Building. “I don’t know when my turn to get tested and no one could guarantee when the lockdown will end.” …