加拿大华裔百人会敦促卑诗省公共卫生当局防止新冠病毒的社区传播

[加拿大乐活网lahoo.ca 温哥华讯]2020年2月28日 –加拿大华裔百人会（CCS100）日前向卑诗省公共卫生管理当局提交了书面建议，敦促政府机构保持高度警惕和有效的措施，以防止新型冠状病毒（COVID-19）在加拿大和卑诗省的传播。

自从新型冠状病毒爆发以来，在中国和国际上其他50个国家或地区已确认超过83,000例病例。迄今为止，加拿大已报告了14例，其中包括卑诗省和安大略省各有7例，其中一些病人是与最近出国旅行的家庭成员保持着紧密接触而致病。

我们注意到目前在卑诗省这种病毒传播的风险仍然很低。同时我们也欢迎卑诗省对COVID-19的公共卫生紧急响应，包括制订《临时指南：社区中与新型冠状病毒相关的病例和接触者的公共卫生管理》以及建立新型冠状病毒省卫生紧急响应系统。

但是，我们认为新型冠状病毒在社区中传播的一些潜在风险仍然存在，需要全省更加密切关注。因此，百人会向省公共卫生当局提出了5点建议：

1) 在加拿大入境口岸制定并建立高标准的症状筛查措施；

2) 根据需要将《健康指南》翻译成中文，日文，韩文和其他语言，以便旅客入境前就可以完全了解；

3) 尽快提供自我隔离的科学和详细指导；

4) 针对可能出现的最坏情况制定防御计划，特别是针对学校和医疗机构；

5) 鼓励华人社区积极参与新型冠状病毒省卫生紧急响应系统。

加拿大华裔百人会创会会长丁果指出：“保护公共健康和安全是每个卑诗省省民的责任。加拿大华人社区准备为防止该病毒在卑诗省的社区传播做出贡献。我们对省政府对我们提交的建议作出的积极反馈。”

加拿大华裔百人会研究部主任张康清补充说：“这些建议反映了百人会成员和社区朋友对当前疫情的关注和建议，我们很高兴能够代表卑诗省和加拿大华人社区发出建设性的意见。”

关于加拿大华裔百人会

加拿大华裔百人会 (CCS100) 是一个致力于通过知识和战略促进加拿大华裔社区最高利益的会员组织。它在加拿大注册为非党派和非营利的非政府组织（详见：http://ccs100.ca/)。 

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Backgrounder: CCS100 Recommendations Submitted to the Province on February 18, 2020

 

Recommendations to B.C. Public Health Management in the Community

The Canada Committee 100 Society (CCS100)

February 18, 2020

Introduction

Since the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in China and spread to 26 other countries or regions internationally, Canada has reported 8 cases so far, including 5 in British Columbia and 3 in Ontario. We notice the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) assessment that the risk of spread of this virus remains low at this time in this province. We also welcome BC’s public health emergency responses to COVID-19, including the adaptation of the Interim Guidance: Public Health Management of cases and contacts associated with novel coronavirus in the community  and an establishment of the COVID-19 Provincial Health Emergency Response Structure .

However, recent observations by our members and associates have suggested some potential risks of COVID-19 spread in the community. Therefore, this report discusses some of these risks and presents recommendations to prevent those from bringing in potential threats to the public health in BC. 

Potential Risks 

The CCS100 is a B.C. registered community organization which consists of nearly 100 members and associates who are professionals, opinion leaders, and entrepreneurs with Chinese heritage in Canada. Since the COVID-19 outbreak in China, CCS100 has been monitoring the situations both in China and B.C. closely. Recently, CCS100 organized a group discussion on whether BC is prepared for an outbreak of COVID-19. There are many good critics and suggestions and here are some key points emerged from the discussion:

1) International arrivals remain high. Although Air Canada has cancelled all flights to China effective on Feb. 6th 2020, international passengers still can travel to Canada by other operating airlines. It is estimated that the incoming travelers from China continue over 1,000 daily , as well as many others arriving from Japan and Singapore, the top two countries that report confirmed cases outside of China.       

2) Screening at the airports appears weak. We have spoken to many recent travelers recently arrived from China. They indicate that there are no precautious measures being implemented in YVR, such as temperature testing, travel history and plan questioning, or guidance information providing, etc. It is worth noting that all 8 confirmed cases in Canada are passengers recently arrived from China or those who have directly contacted with them.  

3) Lack of information of guidance to travelers. Upon arrivals, many travelling individuals have no knowledge and information about what they need to follow the procedure to monitor the clinical symptoms, surveillance and report if symptoms occur, and most importantly manage the contacts. There is information available on websites of many government agencies, but none of it is provided in a language of convenience when travelers arrive in Canada. 

4) The Interim Guidance of BCCDC seems to understate risks of the Category C under the Management of Contact. In the Interim Guidance, the public health management of contacts is divided into three categories depending on type of exposure. For Category C, i.e., incoming travelers from other areas of China, including those who have transited through mainland China, self-isolation is not required, and no active monitoring by the public health. This measure may impose potential risks to their family members, neighbors, co-workers, and even physicians when these travelers develop the symptoms after their arrivals.

Key Recommendations

Based on above identified risks, the CCS100 presents following recommendations to B.C.’s health care agencies:

1) It is strongly recommended to develop and establish high standard screening measures at Canadian ports of entrance. International travels from China and other high risk countries and regions, should have their temperature tested, their travel history and plan reported, and the guidance information provided.

2) For the convenience of international travelers and the accuracy of deliver the information, the guidance information should be translated into Chinese, Japanese, and other languages as necessary. The booklets of the guidance should be provided on all incoming airplanes so that passengers can read and understand before arrival. 

3) It is believed that the most effective way to prevent the virus spread in the community is to place quarantine for international travelers from high risk destinations. Therefore, the Interim Guidance of BCCDC needs to update the contents regularly, including upgrading the recommended measures for Category C to be as same as Category B, i.e., recommend self-isolation and provide details of means of self-isolation. It is also important to indicate the penalty if individuals do not follow the Guidance’s requirements properly.  

4) Although the risk of spread of this virus remains low, it is important for the Province to develop the planning of worse scenarios and keep the community informed and prepared accordingly. The priority should be focused on schools and healthcare facilities. 

5) Due to the epicenter being in China, CCS100 feels strongly that Chinese community needs to have an input in the COVID-19 Provincial Health Emergency Response Structure. CCS100 is willing to be a focal point for the communications with the Chinese community.    

Conclusion

Protecting the public health and safety is the responsibility of every British Columbian. Chinese community is prepared to make a great contribution to help China to combat the coronavirus outbreak, as well as to protect B.C. and Canada from being affected by the same virus.