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Publications & Research

Publications & Research
The HKJCDPRI Publications Section contains collaborative researches and publications with our partners and renowned academic institutions, and other research and development projects related to disaster preparedness and response.
The Guidelines section contains our selected collection of technical information, operational guidelines and useful tools for disaster management.
The Blog sub-section provides a platform where our team and peers share news and updates, as well as opinions and experiences in building disaster preparedness for the communities.
The blog posts are written by the author in his own personal capacity / affiliation stated. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in the post belong solely to the author and does not necessarily represent those of Hong Kong Jockey Club Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute.
All resources listed here are freely and publicly available, unless specified otherwise. We ask users to use them with respect and credit the authors as appropriate.
2021

[This article is only available in Chinese.]
[This article is only available in Chinese.]
陳婉玲
2021年2月25日
疫情已持續逾年,市民也儘量減少外出,你是否以為絕大部份的義工都暫停義務工作?
義務工作是指任何人士志願貢獻其個人時間及精神,不為任何回報,無償為改善社會或幫助有需要人士而提供的服務。根據香港超過四千間服務機構的紀錄,2019年義工服務時數共錄得超過2,264萬小時[1],這數字還未計算沒有登記義工的服務時間,以香港這個彈丸之地,數字實在驕人。
Photo by ray sangga kusuma on Unsplash
義工提供的服務非常多元化,從前線服務至後勤支援,從組織服務至專業領域支援等,給予香港社會及受助人士莫大的支持,並能填補現時社會服務和人員的不足。除了以個人身份參與義務工作外,很多企業也有組織義工隊,回饋社會;而義工在參與義務工作的過程中,能幫助別人的同時,也為個人能帶來滿足感,並可持續學習及進步。義工們為社會作出不同程度的貢獻,為香港建構互助互愛、關懷和分享的社會。
筆者和一些社福界朋友傾談,自疫情以來,很多提供前線服務的社福機構,根據所訂的指引以保障義工及服務對象安全,而暫停義工服務,只由職員提供少部份必要的服務。但其實,很多機構及服務對象一直以來均依賴義工的支援,這些服務對象包括長者、長期病患者,如患病兒童,加上醫院、安老及殘疾人士院舍均須關閉不准探訪,令恆常服務暫停,對他們的身體及精神或多或少均帶來負面的影響,包括身體機能、精神及情緒變差等。反觀一些較小型的NGO,在疫情下則更顯靈活和彈性,評估情況後,調整服務模式或程序,讓義工們可繼續參與服務。可能你會有疑問,難道義工們不怕危險,不怕受感染嗎?
在筆者多年的救災備災工作生涯中,有幸曾與很多義工合作,在香港以至外地提供緊急救災服務,他們當中有十多歲的青少年,也有接近80歲的長者,義工們全情的投入,無私的付出,其志願服務精神實在令人欽佩。 回想在2003年沙士時,筆者所屬機構因應當時社會需要,提供了很多嶄新服務,包括到較多感染個案的屋邨探訪獨居長者,並傳遞防疫資訊及物資,提供支援予居於隔離營和酒店的隔離人士等,義工們均積極參與;就算在外地地震後,冒著有餘震的風險到災區救災,義工們也沒有畏懼;當然,機構需要評估風險,提供防感染及防災措施/指引及個人保護物品等,以保障義工及職員的安全。
在這次疫情下,見到不少市民、群組、商舖自發及義務提供物資和服務予有需要人士,尤其在疫情初期缺乏口罩及潔手液時,很多義工自行或動員到社區派發抗疫物品給長者、露宿者、清潔工友等。其實,在任何時間,任何地點,都可以不同形式,關懷及幫助有需要的人。在不同渠道也提倡有足夠物資的市民可分享予身邊有需要的人,也有NGO的義工繼續提供服務,如送遞膳食及食物予行動不便的獨居人士及低收入家庭等,正正體現志願服務精神。只要了解感染途徑,做足防疫措施,包括戴口罩、保持社交距離、清潔雙手等,風險還是在可控範圍之內的。
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash
筆者知道有很多機構的義工,均希望能在疫情下繼續提供服務,但礙於所屬機構的決策而使服務長時間中斷了,令很多服務對象受影響。期望社福機構,汲取經驗,檢視政策及服務模式,能夠因應情況及服務需要,制訂在”特殊情況”下,如何能繼續維持服務,又或轉變服務模式,包括善用資訊科技、培訓義工及加強跨界別合作等,加上義工們的支持及參與,相信能發揮更大的果效,將服務對象的受影響程度減至最少。
參考資料:
1. 義工運動, 社會福利署
陳婉玲 (Elaine Chan)
曾於本港及海外從事多年災難管理及人道工作/項目,包括前線救災行動、災後重建、殘疾人士復康中心、備災減災、救災及醫療機構能力建設項目和相關人員/義工培訓等,曾參與的災難項目包括地震、風災、水災、火災、傳染病爆發等。

[This article is only available in Chinese.]
[This article is only available in Chinese.]
香港民意研究所幹事梁海欣
新型冠狀病毒肆虐全球,不僅損害個人健康,也令社會全面停擺——停工、停課、停業……市民生活大受影響,經濟遭到前所未有的打擊。民意調查看似與肺炎無甚關係,但其作為協助眾人了解民情、知曉民意的工具,其實也可以在公眾教育方面有所貢獻,幫助市民了解新冠肺炎對社會的影響,為防疫工作出一分力。
醫科學院或醫療專業團體可以透過不同形式的民意調查,了解市民對公共衛生方面的認知和意見,其中包括與新冠肺炎相關的醫學和社會議題。透過問卷調查,我們可以了解人們對各項防疫措施的遵守情況、對疫苗的取態、對疫後復常步伐的意見等。調查結果除了能夠讓醫療研究人員參考之外,數據經過加權[1]和綜合分析之後,還可以製成指數或圖表,向公眾發佈,幫助市民和各界人士理解疫情發展,從而調整生活模式及制定應對方案。
其中一例,是香港民意研究所在2020年四月建立的「疫後復常指數」(PENRI)系列,每日根據疫情最新發展更新各項數字,協助公眾評估各個界別應否恢復疫前狀態,同時為各行業的復業提供依據。當中包括:「疫後復工指數」 (PEWRI)、「疫後復課指數」 (PESRI)、「疫後復聚指數」 (PEGRI)及「疫後公共設施重開指數」 (PEPRI)等等。建立「疫後復常指數」系列的主要目的,是希望收集社會各階層人士的意見,找出一個公眾認為「可接受的」疫情風險水平——即在該情況下,公眾認為社會某些範疇的活動可以恢復正常。數字越高,代表越多市民認為該範疇的活動可以回復疫情前的情況。所有「疫後復常指數」都會每日更新,而當中,「疫後復聚指數」至今仍持續每日更新,以供各界的持份者參考。例如:餐飲業僱主可以根據「疫後復聚指數」評估市民恢復正常社交聚會的意願,從而調整人手安排。酒店及旅遊業人士也可參考該指數,以制訂未來的經營計劃。政府又可以按照指數的上落,評估市民對限聚令的接受或抗拒程度。
民意調查不僅可以探知民情,其結果和分析更可以在新冠肺炎疫情下促進公眾教育,同時為各行業提供有用而且以實證為本(evidence based)的民意資訊,幫助各行業的決策者作出相應決定,促進社會適應新常態。
圖:香港民意研究所記者會
註解:
[1] 為避免樣本中的某些人口變項組別被過度代表或代表不足,調查所收集數據會被加權,使樣本人口與真實人口分佈相吻合,以提高所收集樣本的數據代表性。
補充連結:
香港民意研究所首頁
香港民意研究所「疫後復常指數」解釋說明 , 2020年4月27日, 香港民意研究所
梁海欣
香港民意研究所幹事

[This article is only available in Chinese.]
[This article is only available in Chinese.]
陳婉玲
在災難發生後,當地政府及救災機構須因應災難影響的情況而作出應變及回應,除拯救傷病者和控制災情外,亦需要協助受災地區的居民儘快回復正常生活,在過程中,須不斷檢視情況的變化,評估風險,並針對問題作出一切可行的解決方法。
在新冠狀病毒病發生初期,大家本來期望會像2003年沙士般,約半年就能控制疫情。可是,疫情出乎意料,病毒更蔓延至全球,香港受影響亦已逾年,且未知何時能夠完全受控,很多行業均受嚴重影響,而醫療及社會福利界也受到極大的衝擊,其中對行動及認知能力較差的病人、安老及殘疾院舍院友影響尤其大,甚至威脅其生命及健康。
為了抗疫,政府自上年7月起,規定除體恤原因外,醫院、安老及殘疾人士院舍均不得探訪。但其實病人及院舍院友,一直以來均非常需要及依賴親人或義工的支援,包括陪伴、飲食、關懷、協助做伸展運動等,缺乏家人或義工的探訪及支持,可嚴重影響他們的身心及精神健康,有些更因而患上抑鬱,不少更引致身體功能或行動能力加速退化,甚至有些在臨死前也未能見到院外親屬便撒手塵寰,院外親人也因此而抱憾終生,這些人道的需要實不容忽視。
Photo by Carl Heyerdahl on Unsplash
從目前的情況看來,只有少部份資源較好的安老及殘疾人士院舍能夠透過科技提供服務,安排電話/電腦視像服務予院友及其親屬作溝通,但很多院舍並沒有額外資源,包括設備及相關人員提供此類服務。面對疫情,有不少問題值得我們深思,除了做好防疫措施外,機構能以新模式持續提供服務嗎?如何能保持院友的身心精神健康呢? 我們能夠增加科技設施嗎?增加科技設施能支援這方面的服務嗎?在可控制的風險情況下,我們能找出平衡防疫及服務需要的方法嗎? 以下提供數項建議,希望能與大家一起探索:
- 政府/慈善基金撥款資助,為資源匱乏的院舍提供器材及操作指導,讓院舍可自行安排視像服務,讓院友和親屬能透過視像會面;
- 有空間的院舍,設置會面室,讓持有有效檢測證明測試結果呈陰性的親屬能在院舍會面室內與親人團聚;
- 政府/慈善基金提供資助,與非政府組織合作,設置兩個獨立透明間隔的「流動探親室」,安排「流動探親室」走訪缺乏空間的院舍門外,讓院友及親屬能見面;
- 院舍與義工團體合作,提供線上即時互動服務,讓院友們透過電視螢幕與義工們溝通及互動,如一起做伸展運動、玩遊戲等。
疫情仍持續,希望政府及相關機構在防疫的同時,突破限制,以人為本,提供更多創新可行的支援,使弱勢群體能繼續得到適切的服務,維持身心健康,也為下一次突發事故或挑戰,累積更多經驗,並作好準備。
陳婉玲 (Elaine Chan)
曾於本港及海外從事多年災難管理及人道工作/項目,包括前線救災行動、災後重建、殘疾人士復康中心、備災減災、救災及醫療機構能力建設項目和相關人員/義工培訓等,曾參與的災難項目包括地震、風災、水災、火災、傳染病爆發等。

In Part I, I described myself falling ill in the UK last March, as I witnessed the complacency and fatally-slow response to the pandemic. Like watching a horror movie, only this was no fiction, it was a real disaster.
Fail to train hotline team to respond to severe cases
March 18: While the sterling pound fell to its lowest level (US$1.18) since 1985, my fever rose to 40 degrees celsius. We called our GP but were turned away instead to call the Covid hotline 111, which had just received a £1.7m investment to offer clinical advice[1]. I was on hold for 15 minutes before a recording directed me to their website, where I answered the same questions about symptoms and travel history only to go back to square one. On and on for an hour, this vicious cycle wore me out further but I learned to beat the system by answering questions in a way to finally get someone to speak to. Extracting my last ounce of strength, I answered the same questions and the call-handler advised a clinician will call back in two hours. It was midnight and desperate not to miss the call, I clutched my phone and scarcely slept.
Seven hours later, my phone rang and after retelling my symptoms, she asked me to call Public Health England. Relief turned to disbelief - I didn’t want to make any call. However, my daughter insisted, “Mom, you need to get to hospital before they get full!” I forced myself to call and after a long hold, I explained what happened and he replied, “You should call 111 - you have Covid symptoms and they should be helping you.” The hotline was a sheer mockery!
I cannot remember how the days passed - my fever ‘yo-yoed’ and spiked to 41 degrees one night and I called 111 again reluctantly. The same questions but this time, the call-handler acknowledged my critical condition and referred me on. The clinician called thankfully in two hours but advised me “to open the window and remove some clothing” to ease my fever. Between disgust and disappointment, I complied and survived another day with no respite. Yet, I was lucky to get through twice on 111[2] as news reported that the system became so overwhelmed and stopped working. Others had waited three hours before getting cut off, and I couldn’t bear to think how many sick patients living alone must have gotten worse in despair and eventually died for the lack of prompt attention.
By 24 March (one day after the first UK lockdown started), I was extremely weak and could hardly register what was going on. My breathing became increasingly difficult and when it deteriorated the next morning, my husband called 999. They arrived swiftly after a call to verify my condition, and found my oxygen saturation level to be 90% only. They whisked me carefully to the ambulance but I felt very distressed that my husband could not follow me to hospital.
Travelling in an ambulance for my first time, I realised that I could die and not see him again. It was then a familiar verse came to mind: “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain”. I felt overwhelmed by an incredible peace and now I calmly deliberated on my “last wish” - what I would tell Mother to reassure her where I was going. Looking back, I wonder if this exceptional clarity (compared with the stupor in my past week) was “breathed” partly by the emergency oxygen provided in transit.
Photo by Ian Taylor on Unsplash
Reaching Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, I was wheeled into the emergency ward and nurses began to conduct various tests including the Covid swab test. It was very uncomfortable with my throat and then my nose. Next, they took my blood and chest X-rays too.
After the tests, I was transferred to an open ward with isolating curtains. The consultant doctor visited and advised that my result would be available the next day. Oddly, he considered me Covid-positive regardless of the result, as he said I had all the symptoms including pneumonia, adding that false negatives were frequent.
Fail to equip and protect your teams by regular stock-check on contingent resources
I was struck by how unprotected the hospital staff were. While those who tested me had surgical masks, gloves and plastic aprons on, there were many who walked around with nothing but their uniforms. Since returning to Britain, it was impossible to buy masks and we were duped two times on Amazon.
Photo by iMattSmart on Unsplash
Little did I know that on 19 March[3], the government had downgraded COVID-19 as a less infectious disease, which meant a lower level of PPE requirement for hospital staff!
PPE shortage amongst key workers dominated headline news for several weeks into May. BBC Panorama[4] discovered there were no gowns, visors, swabs or body bags in the UK’s pandemic stockpile when the virus struck. Advisors had warned the government about the missing items in 2009 but nothing was done all these years. Also, the stockpile catered for influenza only but not coronavirus which remains infectious outside bodies for a longer time. There seemed no thought to cover everything with pandemic potential in their disaster planning, and it probably killed over 620 NHS and care workers in this pandemic[5].
Fail to consider different stakeholders especially the vulnerable
Several hours after the consultant's visit and a light meal, the nurse said I could be discharged. I was shocked as my result was not ready but she assured me that it was okay to go home with antibiotics prescribed for my pneumonia. Another shock was they released me to walk out freely (donning a surgical mask) to meet my husband who was also wandering around the hospital looking for me. He was aghast that most hospital workers had hardly any PPE on, which meant he could infect them if he was a carrier and vice-versa. Still, we were glad to get home.
We figured they hurried to discharge me before my result was intended to free up hospital beds. Around the same time, UK hospitals were discharging some 25,000 elderly patients without testing Covid-negative (mid-March to mid-April)[6]. This led to a parallel pandemic in care homes, which coupled with insufficient PPE saw 16,000[7] deaths by late May. The decision to test all patients before hospital discharge was made only on 15 April.
Back home, I felt very weak but my fever and cough disappeared. The hospital called the next day to advise my Covid results were negative, and transferred my case back to my GP. I finished my antibiotics, but was still ill. We called our GP and they sent a junior doctor for a homevisit. Garbed with apron, gloves, and surgical mask, he apologised profusely for wearing so much PPE to see me. Taken aback by his apology, I assured him that his attire was appropriate. After examining me, he referred me to my GP and I asked for a second course of antibiotics. Over the phone, he informed me that I’d need seven weeks to recover, and my liver had been affected by the pneumonia (from hospital tests), so I was booked for a follow up blood test in April. Thankfully, the test showed my liver had healed.
In the following weeks, I was still easily short of breath on exertion like standing or speaking. Nonetheless, my appetite improved and I could gradually speak in longer durations before getting exhausted. Friends sent video clips on breathing exercises but what helped me was singing. After trying to sing “Amazing Grace” one morrning, I felt my lungs stretch open and so I tried singing daily. However, my mental capacity lagged noticeably behind my physical recovery. An avid reader and writer, I found reading text messages laborious, and writing extremely difficult. Online banking became a big challenge, requiring several attempts to complete a simple transaction. Furthermore, my sense of smell was gone and I sorely missed the fragrance of spring in our garden.
With summer approaching, a friend sought my help with translating and recording an audio script for a project. Reluctantly, I committed to this mammoth task and though every step seemed like a baby learning to walk, I kept working through the growing daylight hours. After weeks of this mental gymnastics, I started feeling the chains on my brain loosened miraculously. It was July when I heard a recovering Covid patient on YouTube describe his ‘brain fog’ experience that I recognised my condition too.
Photo by Aubrey Odom on Unsplash
Today, I suffer occasional memory lapses while I can faintly sniff the hyacinth blossom before me as we hunker down our third national lockdown. I’ve had no medical follow-up after my blood test last April, and my husband still wonders if I had the virus after all. Covid or not, I'm grateful to come out of this disaster alive. My heart goes out to the families of the 117,000[8] in the UK who did not.
[end]
Reference:
[1] NHS to invest £1.7m in helpline to tackle coronavirus call surge, itv, 2 March 2020
[2] The NHS 111 Coronavirus Helpline Is Overwhelmed. What You Need To Know About Getting Tested, Huffpost, 13 March 2020
[3] How poor planning left the UK without enough PPE, Financial Times, 2 May 2020
[4] Coronavirus: UK failed to stockpile crucial PPE, BBC, 28 April 2020
[5] Coronavirus: NHS workers who died in the pandemic, BBC, 18 September 2020
[6] Coronavirus: Sending untested patients to care homes 'reckless' - MPs, BBC, 29 July 2020
[7] Why did so many people die of Covid-19 in the UK's care homes?, The Guardian, 28 May 2020
[8] Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK, UK Government, retrieved on 14 Feb 2021
About Nora Yong
A long term resident in Hong Kong, specialising in corporate and marketing communications with global responsibilities. Originally from Singapore where she graduated and practised dentistry briefly before relocating to Hong Kong. Currently living in the UK where she continues editorial consultancy work for clients in the corporate sector and academia.