Recap of Keynote Session II: Control and Policy Beyond COVID-19

Under the Keynote Session II themed “Control and Policy Beyond COVID-19”, Professor YEOH Eng-kiong, WHO advisor and Director, Centre for Health Systems and Policy Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, presented preliminary research data on COVID-19 control. He has conducted study in Asian countries on the 4 ways of the pandemic prevention, namely border control, case identification, isolation and management, contact tracing and quarantine. Based on the findings, he concluded 3-component enhancement towards controlling the COVID-19, which includes the preparedness plan and system for public health emergencies, readiness, as well as the response system.

Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India quoted her country’s practices in face of the pandemic. She agreed social distancing measures, putting on face masks and vaccination are effective control policies. The situation in India has prompted her to suggest 5 areas which can improve the infection in her country, including upgrading the medical infrastructure in tier-2 and tier-3 cities due to insufficient medical supplies and inequality in those underprivileged cities. Increase awareness of health insurance scheme can also provide better protection for the Indians, whereas greater use of technology with telemedicine will allow the residents in the sub-urban areas to be able to access to medical consultation. And the government policies in the pandemic preparedness and policy enforcement in the areas of social distancing measures, masks and vaccination rate should be enhanced, and the vaccination program should also be more properly rolled out.

Watch Day 1 Keynote Session 2 playback https://fb.watch/93tScf95cB/