Once in, there is no out quickly: Here’s what occurs inside Hong Kong’s Covid isolation wards

It has been almost three weeks since Darryl Chan examined optimistic for Covid-19 on arrival on the Hong Kong airport. Despite displaying no signs, he nonetheless stays remoted in a hospital ward. He doesn’t know when he shall be allowed to go away.

Apart from mainland China, Hong Kong is without doubt one of the few locations on the planet that’s pursuing a strict ‘zero-Covid policy’. This implies that most non-residents will not be allowed to enter and people who do arrive from overseas need to endure three weeks of quarantine, whether or not or not they’re totally vaccinated.Darryl Chan flew from London to Hong Kong on December 19 for his new job, CNN reported. He was totally vaccinated with a booster shot and had examined destructive a number of occasions earlier than he left the UK. However, on arrival in Hong Kong, he took the necessary Covid take a look at and was discovered to be optimistic.More than 12 hours after he landed, he was taken to a close-by hospital for additional testing. Although asymptomatic, he was discovered to be contaminated with the Omicron variant of the virus.ALSO READ: Covid take a look at should for all worldwide passengers touchdown in Mumbai airportIn Hong Kong, the minimal isolation interval for many who take a look at optimistic, even when asymptomatic, is round a month. They have to remain on the hospital for a minimum of ten days and will not be allowed to go away until they take a look at destructive twice, irrespective of how lengthy that takes.After testing destructive twice, the sufferers beneath confinement orders are taken to isolation amenities for 2 extra weeks.Accordingly, Darryl Chan has been in an isolation ward since December 19 and isn’t positive when he’ll be capable of see the world once more. He spends 24 hours a day within the room and has no entry to recent air.”I think the worst part is not knowing when I’ll be able to get out. You’re almost feeling like you are back at school, with controlled wake-up and bedtime and not being able to control what you can eat,” he was quoted in a CNN report.DAILY ROUTINE IN ISOLATION WARDIn the isolation ward, Darryl Chan’s daily routine must match that set by the hospital.At 8 am, he wakes up to a jingle on the public address system and an announcement that reminds him to monitor his vitals.He is given his meals at fixed times. He spends the rest of the day watching Netflix and using social media.”I’d say in all probability early or mid-afternoon are the toughest time of the day,” he told CNN. “In the morning, you verify your emails or social media. But by the point lunch rocks round, that is if you go, ‘I do not actually know what I’m going to do’.”The doctors have not been able to shed light on when he will be discharged. It all depends on when he tests negative, he said.IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTHWith its zero-Covid policy and strict quarantine measures, Hong Kong has largely succeeded in keeping its Covid case numbers and hospitalisations low. However, this comes at a cost the mental health of those undergoing long periods of isolation.Darryl Chan said he is worried about his mental health as his isolation period stretches further and further.”I positively really feel fairly trapped and that’s a scary feeling I’m making an attempt to rationalise it, I feel simply going by the processes understanding that there are specific issues you may and may’t change … the one factor that I can change is how I strategy it and what I do with my time,” he told CNN.”I’m making an attempt to show it into one thing helpful, one thing fascinating to hopefully sooner or later look again on and do not forget that time once I sat in a hospital room for X variety of days,” he added.On this, psychiatrist Dr Elisabeth Wong mentioned, “In general, there is increased sense of isolation, anxiety, and in some severe cases, even post-traumatic stress. However, there are tips to maintaining good mental health. This includes making sure you schedule your day quite clearly so you have rest times and work times. As much as you can, incorporate some kind of exercise within the day.”She additionally prompt seeing quarantine as an act of altruism slightly than a punishment.COVID IN HONG KONGRecently, Hong Kong recognized a variety of Omicron instances in a cluster linked to aircrew. This is the primary case of domestically transmitted Covid instances in almost three months within the metropolis.Additionally, lots of of individuals together with twenty restaurant workers who have been shut contacts of the optimistic instances have been despatched to isolate at a authorities camp for 3 weeks.Before the Omicron cluster emerged, Hong Kong chief Carrie Lam had mentioned that the town’s zero-Covid coverage would stay in place.”Hong Kong has been taking very stringent measures to protect in opposition to importation of instances with a view to sustaining zero native an infection. In the face of the fierce onslaught of Omicron, we have to be much more vigilant,” she mentioned on December 28.ALSO READ: Low severity of Omicron some aid amid world explosion of Covid casesALSO READ: Thousands held on Hong Kong cruise ship for Covid testing