HKU in the news (Nov 20-Dec15)

Dec 15 HKU microbiologist Professor Yuen kwok-yung thinks there should be high viral load in the stool from a room with 4 Covid-19 patients; the virus could have become aerosolized, traveled via the sewage venting pipe up on to the roof, before subsiding downwards to infect residents there  (Professor Yuen Kwok-yung) (link)

Dec 14 HKU Chief of Infectious disease thinks the higher viral load of Covid-19 in 4^th wave is due to lower temperature and predicts HK citizens have to receive vaccine on a yearly basis (Professor Ivan Hung) (link)

Dec 14 HKU microbiologist Professor Yuen kwok-yung thinks the vaccines should be safe after expert inspection on phase 3 clinical trials; He prefer to wait for the nasal-spray vaccine by HKU as he trusts the research from his team (Professor Yuen Kwok-yung) (link)

Dec 13 HKUMed School of Public Health Professor Keiji Fukuda thinks the availability of multiple vaccines, announced by the city’s leader on Friday, was good news but the jabs alone would not stop the virus’ spread (Professor Keiji Fukuda) (link)

Dec 12 HKU Dean of Medicine u says the first-generation of COVID-19 vaccine may not eliminate the risk of infection completely; the public still have to wear masks and wash their hands frequently (Professor Gabriel Leung) (link)

Dec 3 HKU microbiologist Professor Yuen kwok-yung believes the transmission of COVID-19 between the 2 dialysis patients took place in "the 15 maskless minutes" when the man ate a sandwich after inspecting the Happy Valley hospital (Professor Yuen Kwok-yung) (link)

Dec 2 HKU microbiologist Professor Yuen kwok-yung thinks the fourth wave with the city still a long way off winning its fight against the coronavirus and not surprising to see more than 120 cases a day. By the time the vaccine is made available and all people in Hong Kong are vaccinated, it could be December next year (Professor Yuen Kwok-yung) (link)

Nov 30 HKU Chief of Infectious disease reveals the nasal spray vaccine co-developed by HKU and universities in China has been approved by CFDA and will start first-phase clinical trial in December (Professor Ivan Hung) (link)

Nov 27 HKU Dean of Medicine urges the government to reintroduce tougher social-distancing measures to reverse the trend and set its own example by allowing civil servants to work from home (Professor Gabriel Leung) (link)

Nov 23 HKUMed research led by microbiologist Professor Yuen kwok-yung reveals co-infection by COVID-19 and flu increases the severity of pneumonia, implying that everyone should get influenza shots before the flu season to minimise the chances of a co-infection (Professor Yuen Kwok-yung) (link)