Editorial:Compulsory Testing Notices Might Be an Outdated Measure
文章日期:2022年9月15日

【明報專訊】More than two years into Hong Kong's fight against the pandemic, some local experts have suggested that it is time to scrap measures like putting residences under a compulsory testing order. There are also opposing voices that prefer a more conservative anti-epidemic strategy. Measures such as imposing compulsory testing orders on residences date back to the "zero-COVID" period with the purpose of cutting off transmission chains in the community. As the city has long forgone the "zero-COVID" policy and shifted its focus to reducing the number of severe cases and deaths, it is of course justifiable to review anti-epidemic measures made for former times. From the perspective of reducing community transmissions and relieving the burden on the healthcare system, measures like sewage surveillance and putting buildings under compulsory testing orders invariably have a certain effect. But of course, the government also has to consider factors other than public health, for instance, cost-effectiveness, resource utilisation, public opinion as well as the mainland's concerns about the risks of Hong Kong's pandemic. As Hong Kong attempts to restore normalcy amid the pandemic, adjustments to anti-epidemic measures should not be based solely on the vaccination rate. At the present stage, facilitating border reopening should also be taken into major consideration.

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