HK Jockey Club launches Covid-19 Rehabilitation Programme

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has committed HK$100m (US$12.7m) to help people recover from long Covid-19.

Hong Kong.- The Hong Kong Jockey Club has launched the Jockey Club Long Covid Rehabilitation Programme with a donation of over HK$100m (US$12.7m) from its Charities Trust. It says the multi-disciplinary post-Covid-19 rehabilitation programme aims to provide support to people recovering from Covid-19, especially to vulnerable groups.

Over 1.7 million Covid-19 cases were reported in Hong Kong by the end of September, and it’s expected that there will be growing demand for long Covid-19 rehabilitation services in the second half of the year.

Gabriel Leung, the Club’s executive director of Charities and Community, said: “Clinical research on Covid-19 continues to advance, where one of the most pressing needs is to help COVID-survivors better manage the effects of long Covid-19. 

“Adopting a primary care framework, this novel programme aims to lend support to residents of care homes as well as those in the general community, particularly the more vulnerable and disadvantaged. 

“Coverage will be broadened as widely as possible through the deployment of digital support for self-management. The Club believes that this programme would help the community overcome the public health challenge of Covid sequelae such that Hong Kong can emerge stronger and better.”

According to the HKJC, approximately 40,000 people will benefit from direct services and 30,000 from a digital self-management app and website provided by the Jockey Club Long Covid Rehabilitation Programme.

Hong Kong lifts hotel quarantine measures

Earlier this week, the Hong Kong government eased Covid-19 measures after two and a half years of strict control. People arriving in Hong Kong no longer have to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine.

Travellers now have to undergo three days of self-monitoring at the location of their choice, including homes or hotels. Upon arrival, travellers will be given a yellow health code as part of the city’s vaccination card system, barring them from most establishments that require visitors to provide their vaccination status, including restaurants and bars, for three days.

In another change, arrivals now only need to show a negative self-administered rapid antigen test for Covid-19 test in digital form 24 hours before boarding a flight. This replaces the need for a negative PCR test before being allowed to board.