The Community Treatment Facility at AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) aims to serve as a shelter for hospitals as they face a different situation compared to the third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Hospital Authority said today.

Tin Shui Wai Hospital Consultant (Accident & Emergency) Dr Larry Lee told reporters that the COVID-19 situation has been moving very rapidly in the last few days and the number of confirmed cases is going up.

“Our consideration is based on two more factors. One is the occupancy rate of hospital beds. Now we are not in a crisis but actually we have some concerns about it.

“We also observed that in some confirmed cases, the Ct (cycle threshold) value is quite low.

“According to these two factors, we think the reopening of the Community Treatment Facility at AsiaWorld-Expo would be an appropriate choice.”

Dr Lee noted that a more proactive approach was needed for this wave of the epidemic.

“Our direction is trying to adopt a more proactive approach. We want the AWE to serve as a shelter for the hospitals because now the situation in the hospitals is different from the third wave.

“During the third wave, we could reduce our services and try to relocate some manpower to help.

“However, for this wave, we have to handle the winter surge. That is why we tried to reopen it at this moment.”