Covid spokeswoman awarded honorary doctorate

Head of the Department of Health's Communicable Disease Branch Chuang Shuk-kwan - a government spokeswoman during the Covid-19 pandemic - humbly said she "does not deserve the honor" while being awarded an honorary doctorate of social science by Hong Kong Shue Yan University.

"I'm only a member of the team dedicated to fighting the pandemic," Chuang said. "I cooperated with my colleagues who duly performed their duty. I hope I can contribute this honor to everyone who has contributed to fighting the coronavirus."

She also said controlling public hygiene depends on the "overall cooperation [of citizens]" and the "trust between individuals," and it was not easy to sustainably and accurately protect public health.

"It was never easy to clarify rumors on social media, persuade the public in getting vaccinated and avoid causing unnecessary panic within the society," Chuang said.

She also reminded the public that the Covid-19 pandemic showed that "all of us are connected in some ways," and that our individual behavior could lead to serious consequences.

Kaman Lee Ka-man, head of Shue Yan University's department of journalism and communication, said Chuang was the citizens' indispensable figure during the pandemic, after she held the daily news briefing to update the community on the pandemic.

"Chuang held the daily news briefing for 72 consecutive days, which means she has not taken a holiday for two months," Lee said. "Even when her husband passed away, she only took a two-day leave before returning to holding the press briefing," Lee said.

"Her dedication toward her job, alongside the professionalism she displayed was extremely rare. She not only cleared citizens' doubts, worries and fears, but won over their hearts as well," she added.

Apart from Chuang, the university also awarded an honorary doctorate of social science to lawmaker Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, who is an ophthalmologist.

The university said Lam's passion toward medical science, as well as his care toward the community and selfless contribution prompted the institution to award him with the honorary doctorate.