Chan defends Covid pass

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po says he was not given any special treatment to attend Hong Kong's global financial summit despite his PCR test coming back positive.

Chan caught Covid on a working trip to Saudi Arabia last week then flew back to Hong Kong on Tuesday after testing negative in rapid tests for two consecutive days.

Although his PCR test at Hong Kong International Airport after arrival was positive, health authorities said he had a low viral load and was not infectious. So he was classified as a recovered case.

Speaking on the sidelines of the summit at Exchange Square in Central yesterday, Chan said: "Health authorities looked at my PCR test result, took into consideration the details of my health declaration and also the fact that I did not have any symptoms on arrival."

Chan noted that he observed the same measures as other inbound travelers, including undergoing rapid tests before flying to Hong Kong, submitting a health declaration and waited for his airport PCR test result at home.

"What I did was similar to any [other] citizen to qualify myself for coming back to Hong Kong," he said. "The treatment I have been given was the same as anyone."

He also said he only took off his mask when delivering a speech yesterday and there was distance between him and others.

Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, refused to reveal Chan's CT value as he would touch on an individual case.

But he did say: "If the result comes back positive for a recovered person and they have declared a recent infection with Covid we will evaluate their status including history in the health declaration form."

Tsui noted too that from September 26 to November 1 there were 455 inbound travelers who declared an infection of Covid within three months and tested positive upon arrival. "They were all asymptomatic," he said.

But University of Hong Kong infectious disease expert Ho Pak-leung questioned the need for post-arrival PCR tests if arrivals are allowed to walk free despite positive results.

Ho said unnecessary tests will slow the pace of restoring normality and urged authorities to dispense with quarantine restrictions for arrivals as soon as possible.

Hong Kong yesterday recorded 5,245 cases - 4,829 local and 416 imported - and 10 deaths. And there were 705 cases in 441 schools.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com