The fifth wave pandemic swept all over Hong Kong and our children’s home was in deep water. A total of 22 children, youths and staff were tested positive. We are grateful to get over this battle with peace even at the precarious stage. Our staff standby each other and protect this Home against the pandemic.
Start of the New Wave
Our organization is located in the middle of the infected area of Wong Tai Sin. In early Feb, after everyone passed the compulsory nucleic acid test, we started to use rapid antigen tests for early identification of infected residents or staff. This preventive measure proactively stopped anyone with symptoms from returning to this Home.
Challenges of On-site Quarantine
Inevitably, the virus struck on us. On Feb 18, after the “Pandemic Response Measure Meeting”, our staff reported 3 residential children and 1 day care child tested positive. With fear and precaution, we immediately launched the highest-level contingency measure in order to quickly stop the spread of viruses inside our Home. As Hong Kong was at the peak of the pandemic, quarantine facilities became insufficient and public health care system was collapsing. Apart from arranging voluntary online medical consultation by our honorary consultant doctor, we quickly implemented on-site quarantine, separated children that were confirmed as infected, close contacts, returned from short term home leave and other children into four different zones, and took care of them separately. Even if they had to be moved from one place to another, they did not make any complaint. All children were required to stay at our Home during quarantine period. Every day, we have to do rapid tests as prevention of outbreak and safeguard the health of the children.
United as One to Fight the Pandemic
In the severe pandemic, 8 children, 2 youths and 12 staff have been infected successively. Our organization has to maintain 24-hour residential and youth home services for more than 100 children and youth, and face the unprecedented challenges. How we should take care of the children in different zones, deliver meals, continue online classes, conduct rapid tests and monitoring, arrange medical consultation, protect and disinfect the area, all these increased the workload and psychological pressure of our staff. Thanks to different departments, frontline house parents, supporting staff, etc. for safeguarding in their positions and help each other. There were social workers who took up night duties at consecutive nights, relief staff who risked and worked in the forefront. In face of extreme shortage of manpower due to their illnesses, the superintendent and social workers personally took care of the children. Thankfully, although confirmed cases were found in different care units, they happened at different time. Under the situation of extreme manpower shortage, everyone confronted the challenges head-on.
Take Care of Children’s Emotions
Under the pandemic, children need to stay inside our Home, take online and make up lessons. Some extracurricular activities could only be carried out to a limited extent or moved online. To our children, especially those with special educational needs, staying focused could be a big challenge. House parents not only look after the children’s daily living, protect them from infection and teach them self-care, they also care about their emotional stress due to the pandemic. “Beibei” (alias) – one of the children tested positive and recovered, recalled that she used to co-live in a group and felt lonely when isolated during quarantine. Fortunately, social workers and house parents kept chatting with her and cheered her up.
