Outlook
As expected, the number of cases of COVID 19 have continued to fall after the government’s fairly draconian response to the recent outbreak. We expect a continued reduction in cases as the government ramps up its surveillance and deals with gaps in the quarantine system. With this level of vigilance there is a good chance that any further local outbreaks will be spotted early and closed down quickly reducing the need for mass lockdowns.
Central Health Day Care beds for Urgent Care
In response to the private hospitals requiring negative COVID tests before emergency admission, Central Health is making two beds available for treatment of urgent problems for suitable patients who cannot be admitted privately. Patients who need intravenous antibiotics, re-hydration or pain relief may be better provided for in our day care unit rather than having to go to government hospitals or delay treatment pending their COVID tests.
Please contact your usual doctor or our nurses if you have any questions.
Central Health urgent COVID tests
We continue to offer routine and urgent COVID testing and can deliver COVID tests to your home and provide tele-consults if needed. Please contact your doctor or email our senior nurse to arrange COVID testing.
Mental Health
When we look back on the COVID pandemic in 10 years time we might well conclude that the longest lasting consequences was to our mental health especially for our children and young people.
It is particularly fitting that MindHK, the charity our senior partner Dr Lucy Lord, founded 4 years ago, which many of our doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, adminstrative staff and patients have volunteered their time to support,is playing a vital role in improving youth mental health.
Many of our patients attended MindHK ‘s first conference in 2017 and we hope many of you will attend the second of their triennial conferences focusing on youth mental health, perinatal mental health and how parents can improve their children’s mental health.
Press release: https://www.mind.org.hk/press-releases/press-release-international-and-local-mental-health-experts-come-together-to-launch-hong-kong-mental-health-conference-2020-youth-in-focus/
Website: The website is now live here: https://hkmentalhealthconference.com/
Ticketing Page: The ticketing page is live here: https://www.ticketflap.com/hkmhcys
Hospital admissions, hospital visiting and paediatric care during COVID.
Whilst it is unlikely that children would become ill with COVID many parents have raised concerns amid increasing surveillance about what might happen if their child tested positive for COVID 19. Some government hospitals are not allowing parents of COVID positive children to visit or stay with them in hospital. Whilst this makes sense from an infection control perspective there is no doubt it has a significant detrimental psychological and emotional impact on the child and their family particularly for children under 8 years. Stricter visiting has also been introduced in both government and private hospitals for non-COVID related problems.
Policies in hospitals are changing frequently, bellow is our current understanding of private hospital policies.
| Hospital | Admission | Visitors |
| Matilda | Elective admission and Maternity: requires a negative COVID test within 6 days prior to admission | Paediatrics: both parents allowed to visit Adult: only one visitor allowed including maternity ward |
| Emergency admission: will be isolated and tested for COVID with consequent cost until COVID result available | ||
| Canossa | Elective admission and Maternity: requires a negative COVID test within 72hrs prior to admission | Paediatrics: both parents allowed to visit Adult: only two visitors allowed including maternity ward |
| Emergency admission: will be isolated and tested for COVID with consequent cost until COVID result available | ||
| Adventist | Elective admission and Maternity: requires a negative COVID test within 72hrs prior to admission | Paediatrics: both parents allowed to visit with personal information registered Adult: only two visitors allowed including maternity ward with personal information registered Visitors staying over 3 hours will be required to do COVID test. This includes Dads staying at maternity unit |
| Emergency admission: require a COVID negative test if they have travelled outside of HK | ||
| Gleneagles | Elective admission and Maternity: COVID test not compulsory but strongly recommended | Paediatrics: both parents allowed to visit with personal information registered. Adult: only two visitors allowed including maternity ward with personal information registered |
| Emergency admission: COVID test not compulsory but strongly recommended | ||
| Sanatorium | Elective admission and Maternity: requires a negative COVID test within 72hrs prior to admission | Paediatrics: both parents allowed to visit Adult: only two visitors allowed including maternity ward |
| Emergency admission: will be isolated and tested for COVID with consequent cost until COVID result available |
Public hospitals
There is no one policy for public hospitals. The Hospital Authority website is not very helpful “no visiting except on compassionate grounds on a case by case basis”
Below is our current understanding from non official sources.
As of 28-8-20
| Hospital | COVID | Non-COVID | Notes |
| Queen Mary Hospital |
COVID positive children can be in same ward as COVID positive parent- assuming parent is reasonably well and not on multiple drugs | Regular wards are allowing parents to accompany their child | No cut off age as such for accompanying parent but within reason |
| Non-COVID parent can stay with COVID positive child but they can’t leave the ward until the child does, AND they face 14 days quarantine at a Centre (not at home) if they leave hospital. | |||
| Prince of Wales Hospital |
COVID positive child can be admitted with COVID positive parent in the SAME ward, if bed situation allows, and if the parent’s condition is stable enough | No visiting allowed except for ICU but there will be compassionate allowances | Cut off age for parent accompanying child is 8 years, although this may vary with children e.g. ADD kids |
| COVID negative parent can be in the ward with a COVID positive child, subject to CHP approval, but cannot leave once in the ward | |||
| Princess Margaret Hospital |
COVID positive child under 6 years may be accompanied by one parent and the parent is required to quarantined for 14 days after child is discharged | No visiting for non COVID cases SCBU 1 hour visit alternate days NICU 1 hour per day one parent |
Cut off age for parent accompanying child is 6 years. |
| Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital |
COVID positive child one parent may accompany on compassionate ground. The parent must stay in the isolation room. | No visiting in general ward. Age<7 two designated carers can register and 1 can accompany the patient at any one time Age >7, based on compassionate ground but at most 1 visit per week for 1 hour only |
For Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) only breast feeding mothers will be allowed to visit
For neonatal/ paediatric intensive care unit – parents will be allowed to visit on compassionate grounds. If allowed only 1 visitor each time and only once a week for maximum of 1 hour. |
| Tuen Mun Hospital |
Parents of COVID / Non-COVID not allowed to stay or visit | ||
Please also note that CHP (Centre for Health Protection) assigns the hospital for COVID admissions, this is not a patient choice, they may take into account the patient’s address but are not required to allocate hospitals according to residence.
Please see PDF version of this newsletter to view the table
For anyone who needs reminding, our infection control advice and previous updates on topics such as adult and children’s mental health are on our website. www.centralhealth.com.hk
MindHK have also produced some great resources to combat COVID related stress.
COVID Mental Health Resources (Adult):
- Managing Mental Health during COVID-19: https://www.mind.org.hk/mental-health-a-to-z/COVID-19/managing-mental-health-staying-well-during-a-virus-outbreak/
- Managing your Mental Health at Work: https://www.mind.org.hk/mental-health-a-to-z/covid-19/managing-your-mental-health-at-work/
- Free/subsidised services available: https://www.mind.org.hk/mental-health-a-to-z/covid-19/additional-resources/
COVID Mental Health Resources (Young People):
- Coolminds is Mind HK and KELY Support Group’s joint youth mental health initiative
- The Mental Health Effects of COVID-19: https://www.coolmindshk.com/en/resource/the-mental-health-effects-of-covid-19/
- Staying Well During the Coronavirus Outbreak: https://www.coolmindshk.com/en/resource/staying-well-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/
- Returning to School: https://www.coolmindshk.com/en/resource/returning-to-school/
- Returning to School: Academic Stress + Youth Sharing: https://www.coolmindshk.com/en/resource/returning-to-school-academic-stress-youth-sharing/
- Returning to School: Advice from Professional Clinicians: https://www.coolmindshk.com/en/resource/returning-to-school-advice-from-professional-clinicians/
COVID Managing Mental Health During COVID-19 Webinar
- Free Webinar Session (ENG) on September 4 at 18:00
- Registration details here: https://www.mind.org.hk/mind_hk_events/free-webinar-managing-mental-health-during-the-covid-19-outbreak-english/
Kind regards
The Central Health, Island Health and Southside teams
