OT&P Healthcare Podcast OT&P Healthcare

Over the course of the pandemic, Dr David Owens has written a series of articles analysing the Hong Kong Covid response. As China begins to shift away from the strategy of ‘dynamic zero Covid’, this article considers how lessons learned from the different strategies in Hong Kong and Singapore can best be applied when considering the current challenges facing the mainland. 

The recent increase in case numbers and tightening of social distancing policies has again reminded Hong Kong residents that although the rest of the world has moved on to other things, our city continues to march to the dynamic zero Covid beat. In our latest podcast, Doctor David Owens and Professor Ben Cowling discuss a wide range of issues around the science of Covid including the emerging 6th wave, the evidence for vaccines and masks and lessons from the Russian flu pandemic of 1889. They also discuss Long Covid and answer questions from you our listeners.

The fifth wave of Omicron BA.2 is currently having a significant impact on our city. Hong Kong is in the unenviable position of having the highest mortality rate in the world. In our latest podcast, Dr David Owens and Professor Ben Cowling discuss the current situation. They also discuss the factors driving the high mortality. They explain that we are already at herd immunity and ask what that means for Hong Kong over the next few months. They also answer questions submitted by you, our listeners. 

In this episode Dr David Owens and Professor Ben Cowling discuss the evolving fifth wave in Hong Kong. In a change from our previous episodes, we asked our listeners to submit questions, we were overwhelmed with the response and apologise that we were not able to cover all issues. This episode covers amongst other topics, the transmission of Covid, elimination or mitigation as a strategy, vaccinations in children and the potential impact on physical and psychological well-being as a result of the public health measures.

After 6 months without a community case of Covid, we are now seeing sporadic community cases with clusters of both Omicron and Delta infections in Hong Kong. In our latest podcast Doctor David Owens and Professor Ben Cowling discuss the current situation. They discuss the dilemma of a Zero Covid strategy without a plan for exit. They consider what a plan B may look like. They also discuss the costs of the public health policy on physical and mental health and hamsters.

It is now two months since the last community case in Hong Kong and the bubble with the mainland is due to open in the next few weeks. In our latest podcast Doctor David Owens and Professor Ben Cowling discuss the current situation in Hong Kong and the potential implications of the Omicron variant recently identified in South Africa. They discuss the dilemmas around vaccine hesitancy in the context of zero covid and specifically the threat of low vaccination rates in the vulnerable elderly. They also discuss the role of booster doses and the philosophical arguments around vaccine mandates.