Thread by @tripperhead

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:

• trying to stop local and imported cases, target dynamic zero infection

• one objective: protect the health of citizens

• no longer have the capacity to cope. Asked central government for help

• The coming months crucial to fight the pandemic

• Early detection and early isolation

• Must tighten social distancing measures

• All measures will extend into April. No longer updated every 2 weeks

• July-August summer school holidays brought forward to March-April

• schools will then be used for testing, isolation and vaccination

• after 5th wave, then children can go back to school

• does not apply to universities

• DSE still planned for April 22nd

• August 12th end of 2021-22 school year

• Compulsory Universal Testing (CUT) coming

• 3 tests during the CUT period

• testing capacity will be raised to 1 million a day. HK-wide testing finished in a week at a time

• CUT legal under Cap. 599

• testing based on HKID numbers

• Will allow people to bring along elderly or children on their HKID days

• For every resident, after they complete each test, will be given RATs between tests

• N95 masks to be distributed at testing as well

• CUT to be carried out in March

• confirmed patients should not stay home, should be isolated

• but don't have enough isolation facilities, not enough manpower

• central government helping to build more isolation facilities

• building more and more isolation facilities

• in phases, another 10k units

• another 5 sites identified to make more isolation facilities - another 20k units

• asked departments to look for their own isolation facilities

• Marine Dept to turn China Ferry Terminal into isolation facility for their staff

• universities same - isolate the confirmed cases in dorm

• MTR also looking for staff isolation facility

• Big 9 ban extended to April 20th

• Vaccine Pass starts February 24th

• the schedule premises closed will stay closed for 14 days over and over until April 20th

• no dinner service

• tightening of day time dining (details to come from FHB)

• by end of February, will be able to administer 85k vaccine doses at CVCs

• By early March, hope 90% first dose

• 2nd dose 80% by mid-March

• 3rd dose, more complicated. 6 month wait. Maybe the experts will shorten the wait

• Children didn't get immunity due to class closures over the past two years. They should get vaccinated

Lam: There is no question of privacy issues of sending samples across the border. It's just a barcode. Maybe there is legal constraints. But this is an emergency. We're in a battle, but we will address the legal issues.

Lam: Citywide lockdown still isn't practical.

Central government has appointed construction teams for Penny's Bay extension and Kai Tak.

The construction team for the isolation facility near the border might come from Shenzhen.

Lam: The Central Government never issued any orders. HKSARG assumes primary responsibility. CG offers support, and we exchange views.

Lam: I can't guarantee that the 5th wave will be over in two to three months.

Lam: There is no instruction from Beijing for a lockdown. A very speculative question. I am responsible under 1C2S.

Cannot forecast the number of cases the will be found from CUT. It's going to be a sizeable amount though.

*end of press conference*