In the award citation, the CASE jury said, “This was an impressive campaign with only a five-day turnaround. As one of the first institutions having to deal with pandemic issues, this was a truly effective pivot.”

CASE stands for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. It is a global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement professionals—in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services—who share the goal of championing education to transform lives and society.

Separately Professor Keiji Fukuda, Ms Tsui Bernadette Wing Suen, Professor Chan Yuen Ying, and Mr Tang Laurence Yat Long also received an award for Knowledge Exchange from the HKU Faculty of Medicine for their work on FightCovid19.hku.hk.

The University’s Fight COVID-19 website (fightcovid19.hku.hk) was launched in February of 2020, one month after the outbreak. HKU set a precedent in getting vital and accurate information on the emerging virus out promptly to the community, both locally and internationally. The website also included a fundraising platform which benefitted more than 3,000 school students and provided speech-and-hearing therapy to low-income patients.

The post Two awards for FightCovid19.hku.hk appeared first on Fight Covid-19.

This Faculty of Education has been conducting a comprehensive 360-degree survey study to gather gather information about the experiences and needs of primary and secondary schools during the periods of school suspension and resumption. The project aims to enhance community capacities to improve the education opportunities, digital competence and well-being of students. These would also enable them to cope with various aspects of life in a fast-changing world in which digital technology plays a pervasive role.

https://www.ecitizen.hk/360/#root

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The post Prof Malik Peiris on his path to studying emerging infectious diseases and the challenges of this work appeared first on Fight Covid-19.

Sridar also warned the public that under current government policy, being diagnosed with COVID-19 in Hong Kong now comes with a very very long confinement period.

“Please get vaccinated to protect yourself from COVID-19. Vaccinated people are less likely to catch Delta variant COVID-19 than unvaccinated individuals,” said Sridhar.

Sridhar made the call in the following analysis on his Facebook page posted on 30th October 2021.

Last week, Hong Kong announced new discharge criteria for patients with COVID-19, bringing it in line with the policy of mainland China. One part of the criteria is that patients who test negative for SARS-CoV-2 by consecutive RT-PCR tests will still require 14 days of isolation at the Hong Kong Infection Control Centre (HKICC). This means that anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 in Hong Kong will now have to spend a minimum of 24 days in the hospital and isolation facilities. In reality, hospitalization is likely to be even longer than this for many patients.

The 14-day post-discharge isolation requirement has been a longstanding mainland infection control policy for COVID-19. Early on in the pandemic, Chinese doctors and epidemiologists observed that a proportion of recovered COVID-19 patients became ‘re-positive’ i.e. their RT-PCR tests became positive once again shortly (within 4 weeks) after discharge despite consecutive negative tests at discharge. This phenomenon is quite common and occurred in 10 – 20% of all COVID-19 cases. Several reasons are postulated for this, some of which are:

1) False-negative RT-PCR tests before discharge

2) False-positive RT-PCR tests after discharge

3) Residual non-infectious viral nucleic acids in the upper airway

4) Recrudescence of the infection despite initial recovery

5) Reinfection within short time of recovery

Reasons 4 & 5 above are big concerns because that would mean seemingly recovered patients shed virus and potentially infect others. This led to a fear that these ‘re-positives’ were potentially infectious. Therefore, a system of post-discharge isolation was created in the mainland to detect re-positive patients and subject them to longer medical observation.

Chinese scientists have continued to conduct extensive research into this. So, what are their latest conclusions on the golden question: ‘Are re-positive cases infectious?’

I include some high-quality studies on this topic in the table below. In general, the findings are as follows:

1) ‘Re-positive’ patients generally show improving symptoms and imaging findings;

2) Such patients also have robust antibody responses similar to non-re-positive patients, which indicates that reinfection in such a short time frame is an unlikely cause for them turning re-positive;

3) Their viral loads are low, much lower than the original admission. Studies (Yang C et al, Lu J et al in table below) that attempted next generation sequencing tend to only find genome fragments rather than whole genomes, which would indicate non-infectious viral nucleic acid rather than complete viral particles;

4) Studies that attempted cell culture fail to recover any infectious virus from re-positive patient samples;

5) Most importantly, epidemiological studies (Yang C et al and Chen SL et al in table below) failed to find any onward transmission from re-positive patients to close contacts.

I quote the following conclusions verbatim from some of the studies:

1) “Recurrent positive patients pose a low transmission risk, a relatively relaxed management of recovered COVID-19 patients is recommended.” Yang C et al, Emerg Microbes Infect, study by Shenzhen CDC

2) “Re-positive SARS-CoV-2 cases do not appear to be caused by active reinfection and were identified in ~14% of discharged cases. A robust NAb response and potential virus genome degradation were detected in almost all re-positive cases, suggesting a substantially lower transmission risk, especially through respiratory routes.” Lu J et al, EBioMedicine, study by Guangdong CDC

3) “The viral load in re-positive cases was very low; patients were not infectious and the risk of human-to-human transmission was extremely low.” Liang L et al, IJID, study by Guangdong CDC

4) “Our data suggest that the short-term recurrence of positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA in discharged patients is not a relapse of COVID-19, and the risk of onward transmission is very low.” Chen SL et al, OFID, study from universities in Guangdong

5) “This retrospective study in Wuhan analyzed the basic characteristics of recovered COVID-19 patients with re-positive PCR test and found that these cases may not be infectious.” Wu X et al, BMC Medicine, study from Wuhan CDC & others

Note that the above applies to immunocompetent patients. Some immunocompromised are known to harbor potentially infectious COVID-19 for long periods of time (although they would not be expected to test negative and then re-positive).

Furthermore, there is no 100% certainty in science and short-term re-infection is theoretically possible although extremely uncommon (Abu-Raddad LJ et al, Clin Infect Dis). One case report from Portugal claims that a re-positive healthcare worker infected others (Correia AM et al, IJID) although there are uncertainties in the interpretation of the study. But, on the whole, these large studies published from China strongly indicate that the vast majority of re-positive patients are not infectious.

Therefore, the benefit of post-discharge isolation of COVID-19 patients to public safety is doubtful. This policy is also difficult to sustain when Hong Kong faces an inevitable future wave of COVID-19. Unlike the mainland, we do not have unlimited land and manpower resources for quarantine facilities when there is a large local outbreak (and such resources are probably better prioritized elsewhere anyway).

In any case, please note that being diagnosed with COVID-19 in Hong Kong now comes with a very very long confinement period. Please get vaccinated to protect yourself from COVID-19. Vaccinated people are less likely to catch Delta variant COVID-19 than unvaccinated individuals.

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Under the mandate, everyone entering the campus must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or, alternatively, to undergo weekly Covid-19 tests on a self-paying basis.

Exemptions will be granted only to individuals with medical certificates showing they are unable to take the vaccine, said Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-president for teaching and learning, in a message to the university community.

See https://covid19.hku.hk/announcements/all/2021/11/11105/  

In a follow-up message on 19 Nov,,  Prof Holliday further announced that “remote learning” will not be supported in the second semester.  All students are expected to be in HK and be able to attend classes by then.

Also see  https://covid19.hku.hk/announcements/all/2021/11/11125/

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Two distinguished scholars from the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), Professor Yuen Kwok-Yung and Professor Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris, have been awarded the 2021 Future Science Prize in life sciences for their contributions in pathological discoveries in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and its zoonotic origin, with impact on combating COVID-19. Their discoveries aiding the understanding of emerging infectious diseases have led to more effective responses and strategies in controlling these diseases.

Professor Xiang Zhang, HKU President and Vice-Chancellor, congratulated Professor Yuen and Professor Peiris for winning the award. He said, “This is a great honour in China’s scientific research landscape. It is a recognition of the excellence in research by HKU and its academics. We will continue to excel in our research and in teaching and learning, for the betterment of mankind.”

“The professors’ receipt of this prestigious award is a well-deserved recognition of their achievements, and a welcomed inspiration for our students and young researchers to pursue scientific advances for the benefit of mankind,” said Professor Gabriel Leung, Dean of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.

About Future Science Prize
Established in 2016, the Future Science Prize aims to recognise and pay tribute to outstanding scientists in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau for their scientific breakthroughs and innovations. The Prize is given in three categories – Life Science Prize, Physical Science Prize, and Mathematics and Computer Science Prize, each with $1 million of prize money.

Please visit this website for the announcement of 2021 Future Science Prize Winners.

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Click HERE to learn about their work featured in the official video announcement.

Annually, only one John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award is given, specifically for impact on global health issues. Professor Guan and Professor Peiris are the first HKUMed laureates of this global award by the Gairdner Foundation.

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^{Benjamin J. Cowling is chair professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong Photo: RTHK}

• It is inevitable Hong Kong will be hit with a fifth wave sooner or later
• Meanwhile with no local covid transmission at present, there shouldn’t be a need for everyone to be wearing masks
• Much of the world will emerge from the pandemic and return to normal in spring — but not Hong Kong
• Government’s zero covid policy is preventing HK getting back to normal and could be abandoned now that we have effective vaccines and effective treatments
• The travel bubble with the mainland may prove unsustainable, like the Singapore one
• 21 days quarantine is not justified; 14 days is enough based on scientific evidence
• The type of masks giving most protection in the community are the KF94 ones made in Korea

Benjamin J. Cowling is chair professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong. The story below, based on an interview with him, could save your life.

https://hongkongbuzz.hk/2021/11/how-to-protect-yourself-from-covid-19-interview-with-professor-ben-cowling

Separately, Hong Kong health minister says criticism of new quarantine policy misses key point – even ‘small risk’ not acceptable: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3154133/coronavirus-hong-kong-health-minister-says

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Dean of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong, Prof Gabriel Leung will visit LSHTM on Thursday 27 February. A leading figure on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and COVID-19, he will give a talk to share epidemiological insights into the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, assess knowledge gaps, and appraise the impact of interventions in China, with a view to prepare the rest of the world for potential further spread.

This seminar will be hosted by the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) – a partnership between LSHTM and Public Health England funded by UK Aid.

Peter Piot will provide welcome remarks.

Gabriel Leung is the fortieth Dean of Medicine (2013-), inaugural Helen and Francis Zimmern Professor in Population Health and holds the Chair of Public Health Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He was the last Head of Community Medicine (2012-3) at the University as well as Hong Kong’s first Under Secretary for Food and Health (2008-11) and fifth Director of the Chief Executive’s Office (2011-2) in government.

He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences) and was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star (second highest civilian honour) by the Hong Kong government for distinguished service in protecting and promoting population health.

A specialist in public health medicine, Leung’s interdisciplinary work revolves around topics that have major population health impact locally, where Hong Kong is a reliable and unique epidemiologic sentinel for mainland China and the Chinese diaspora, or where the it is best placed to address the fundamental science at hand globally.

Leung is one of Asia’s leading epidemiologists and global health exponents, having authored more than 480 scholarly papers with an h-index of 61 (Scopus). His research defined the epidemiology of two novel viral epidemics, namely SARS-CoV in 2003 and influenza A(H7N9) in 2013. He also led Hong Kong government’s efforts against pandemic A(H1N1) in 2009. He was founding co-director of HKU’s World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control (2014-8) and currently directs the Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (2020-).

Leung regularly advises national and international agencies including the World Health Organisation, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Boao Forum for Asia, Institut Pasteur, Japan Center for International Exchange and China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is an Adjunct Professor of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Adjunct Professorial Researcher of the China National Health Development Research Center.

https://lshtm.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=83ba0783-b1ce-4053-aaa5-ab6600da76d8

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HKU’s medical faculty will administer free vaccinations for the public starting from 16 March, Tuesday, as part of the government’s community wide vaccination programme. The faculty has also launched six research projects on various aspects of the vaccines, and is recruiting volunteers the pioneering studies.

HKUMed is responsible for the Community Vaccination Centre at Ap Lei Chau Sports Centre which will offer the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine: Comirnaty (BNT 162b2) from Fosun Pharma/BioNTech.

For details of the APL vaccination centre, see  https://www.med.hku.hk/en/covid-19/vaccine To sign up for taking the jab at the ALC center, go to the HK government booking page. Pick Southern District, and  Ap Lei Chau for venue.

For directions to the ALC centre, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt_Fllhl4wg

Volunteers are needed for a vaccine allergy tracking study, and a study on the effect of combining two kinds of vaccines.  See here for details of the research projects and ways to sign up for the research.

News report in Chinese media  HK01

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