Lo Chung-mau: '0+0' scheme not appropriate yet

Lo Chung-mau, the Secretary for Medical and Health, said in a television program yesterday (Sept. 25) that Hong Kong hasn't got the condition for the "0+0" scheme at this stage because the data does not indicate that it is appropriate.

Beginning 6 a.m. today, incoming visitors only need to undergo three days of self-monitoring and observation from home or from the hotel they are staying in (under the "0+3" scheme), according to Chief Executive John Lee.

Lo said that the number of infections in the community is decreasing, but with the government's change in its quarantine arrangement, the number of imported cases is expected to increase, he added.

Lo stressed that since there are too many variables, it is difficult to specify the conditions and timetable for further reduction to "0+0".

"We must remember the fifth wave of the epidemic at the beginning of this year and ensure a stable situation of the anti-virus process, otherwise all effort will be ruined."

As to when to implement "0+0", he said it depends on whether the rate will continue to drop after one to two months and whether the vaccination rate in HK will continue to rise.

In February this year, Lo said that "living with the virus" will only "lead to the destruction".

When asked about his previous comments yesterday, Lo stressed that many elderly people had passed away because they had been infected and that he did not want to argue about it anymore.

He reiterated that the government cannot "lie flat" in the fight against the epidemic, and even if the virus may continue to exist in society, the choice of reducing the infection rate will not change.