The Metropole became the Metropark Kowloon. This one is the Metropark Wan Chai.
BTW, I agree it's totally over-reaction. Now they're "hunting" down those sitting on Rows 20-26 on 4/30 MU505. This is basically saying, "please don't fly to/through HKG".
Apparently the hotel guests do have a say in this matter.
Is there a Gitmo in HK?
The government said Saturday that 12 of the hotel guests had refused to remain at the hotel and had been moved to a holiday camp which has been specially designated as an isolation zone.
The article forgot to mention that HK passed a law last year that if someone refused to be quarantined, one can be fined up to HK$5,000 and jailed for up to 6 months if convicted.
I am just back home from Hong Kong. I left on Thursday.
As the week progressed you could feel the concern growing. A few people in masks appeared on Tuesday, I saw more on Wednesday. I read that border temperature checks had been intensified.
At the convention centre in Wanchai, there were signs directing you to a specific desk for help if you did not feel well. There was plastic covering the elevator buttons. Maintainence workers were standing at the bottom of escalators holding a towel that I assume was soaked with disinfectant on the handrails. I read that the government had quarantine plans in place to take effect as soon as they had a confirmed case. These plans include closing schools.
I can certainly understand the concern after Sars. The people of HK were deeply effected by this and the government seems determined not to allow another similar situation to happen. That being said, it does seem like they might be over reacting just a bit.
Hopefully there are no more cases and things calm down.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MW147
As the week progressed you could feel the concern growing. A few people in masks appeared on Tuesday, I saw more on Wednesday. I read that border temperature checks had been intensified.
On Wednesday I went to a drugstore in the IFC and pretty much everybody in line was buying face masks. They were selling like hotcakes, and I wished I had the timing to make a killing with all the paranoia going around.
The article forgot to mention that HK passed a law last year that if someone refused to be quarantined, one can be fined up to HK$5,000 and jailed for up to 6 months if convicted.
I think I would stay put at the hotel for a week.
Hong Kong Invokes Quarantine Law Against SARS
Hong Kong
27 March 2003 Health Secretary Yeoh Eng-Kiong calls the measures "draconian", but necessary. "We are trying to encourage people to come to our designated medical centers to report every day, but if they do not follow the instructions, we have the power to fine them, remove them to a place of quarantine, or they can be imprisoned up to six months," he said.
I agree that whoever thinking of travelling to Hong Kong in the near future should seriously consider postponing/cancelling the trip as the risk of being forcibly quarantined for 7 days cannot be mitigated.
No other country will confirmed cases has resort to such barbaric measure. Totally unnecessary and an over-reaction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anacapamalibu
I think I would stay put at the hotel for a week.
Hong Kong Invokes Quarantine Law Against SARS
Hong Kong
27 March 2003 Health Secretary Yeoh Eng-Kiong calls the measures "draconian", but necessary. "We are trying to encourage people to come to our designated medical centers to report every day, but if they do not follow the instructions, we have the power to fine them, remove them to a place of quarantine, or they can be imprisoned up to six months," he said.
But this is not SARS. We knew very little about SARS when it started. This time, we know exactly what we are dealing with, nothing more than a new strain of the seasonal flu and both the Tamiflu and Relenza have been found to be effective to treat. WHO is calling it an influenza, human swine flu.
I agree that whoever thinking of travelling to Hong Kong in the near future should seriously consider postponing/cancelling the trip as the risk of being forcibly quarantined for 7 days cannot be mitigated.
.
About 4 years ago (after SARS was over) I was staying at a hotel in Wan Chai and got a bad fever. Had to leave the next day so brought with me from the hotel a bag of ice. Went into the bathroom at HKIA and froze up my head with
the ice before going through the thermal imaging checkpoint. At that time it
was 14 day quarantine.
Its more probable to get stuck there then to get sick there.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anacapamalibu
About 4 years ago (after SARS was over) I was staying at a hotel in Wan Chai and got a bad fever. Had to leave the next day so brought with me from the hotel a bag of ice. Went into the bathroom at HKIA and froze up my head with
the ice before going through the thermal imaging checkpoint. At that time it
was 14 day quarantine.
Its more probable to get stuck there then to get sick there.
The thermal imaging checkpoints are only on arrival, not on departure. Besides, if you want to "fool" the imager, just take a couple of aspirin one hour before landing. Unless you're really in bad shape, that should lower your body temperature to the normal range.
The thermal imaging checkpoints are only on arrival, not on departure. .
I remember at least back then. They had in departure a small camera and a guy
at a laptop, plus another person with a handheld type device that was pointing
it a people's head.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anacapamalibu
I remember at least back then. They had in departure a small camera and a guy
at a laptop, plus another person with a handheld type device that was pointing
it a people's head.
