Current or latest seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Hong Kong
Dear Sir or Madam,
According to WHO, as of 10 March 2021, there had been numerous SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveys performed in South East Asia, particularly in India:
https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-s...
There have subsequently been many more, with India completing a fourth national level serosurvey in late July 2021 and many more state, metro and local level seroprevalence surveys conducted since 10 March:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topi...
According to the latest Indian national survey, conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and cited in the following Times of India article, of India's population above the age of six, 67.6 percent have developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and 85.2 percent of the surveyed healthcare workers had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi...
Hong Kong is a very small territory in comparison to India, with a GDP per capita around 24 to 25 times that of India.
It can surely afford to perform seroprevalence surveys to ascertain the level of immunity in the population, in order to better calibrate its response to SARS-CoV-2.
These would be far less disruptive and far more useful than PCR testing.
1. When were the most recent SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveys conducted in Hong Kong?
2. What were the results?
3. Please provide seroprevalence data stratified according to age, location, whether healthcare workers or not, or any other relevant criteria.
Yours faithfully,
Paul Jackson.
Dear Paul Jackson,
Your application dated 9 August 2021 was received.
2. Please note that the Department of Health does not possess the
requested information.
3. If we can be of any assistance in the provision of other
information in the future, please contact Ms Sophy KWOK, Executive Officer
(Personnel) 3 at 3107 2593. Thank you.
Regards,
(Ms Sophy KWOK)
for Director of Health
Dear Sophy,
Thank you for your response.
Please could you let me know which HKSARG department, statutory body or other HK organisation has this information, which is critical information to set policy and practice for the response to SARS-CoV-2?
Yours sincerely,
Paul Jackson.
Dear Paul Jackson,
Your application dated 19 August 2021 was received.
2. The requested information is not in the possession of the
Department of Health. According to 1.15 of the Code on Access to
Information, if a department receives a written request for information
which is held by another department, it will transfer the request to that
department. In this regard, we have also consulted Food and Health
Bureau, which advised that the requested information is not under their
purview and they do not possess the requested information.
3. If we can be of any assistance in the provision of other
information in the future, please contact Ms Sophy KWOK, Executive Officer
(Personnel) 3 at 3107 2593. Thank you.
Regards,
(Ms Sophy KWOK)
for Director of Health
