Fresh approach: Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong outlines the two options to enhance segregation of people from live poultry to prevent the spread of avian flu.

The Government has identified two ways it can achieve its policy objective of separating people from live poultry, to prevent the spread of avian influenza. It is calling on members of the public to provide their views. 

Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong outlined the two approaches at the Legislative Council's panel on Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene this morning.

He said the recent outbreaks of avian flu in poultry across Asia are unprecedented and chances are high that it will become endemic in the region. Hong Kong will be susceptible to outbreaks again unless it adopts additional preventive measures.

"Public health has always been a primary concern of the Government, which is committed to protecting people from infection by avian influenza. Our long-term vision is to sustain the goal of zero infection and transmission in Hong Kong," he said.

Cold chain approach 

Under a cold chain approach, all live poultry will be slaughtered and undergo chilling in a slaughterhouse, and retail outlets would be allowed to sell chilled poultry, Dr Yeoh said.

The rough estimate for implementing this measure, he said, is about $200 million, for building a central slaughterhouse with a processing capacity of 100,000 live poultry per day.

Freshly slaughtered chicken approach

Under the freshly slaughtered chicken approach, Dr Yeoh went on, all live poultry will be slaughtered and dressed at regional slaughtering hubs, and consumers could purchase either chilled or freshly slaughtered chickens.

Consumers could buy freshly slaughtered chickens from the retail outlets located at the slaughtering hubs or have them delivered to their homes or restaurants in refrigerated vehicles.

Freshly slaughtered chickens would have to be sold on the day of slaughter and kept refrigerated while on display for sale.

The capital cost of building a slaughtering hub for freshly slaughtered chickens would be less than $200 million if no chilling facilities are to be provided.

However, Dr Yeoh noted, given that there will be several slaughterhouses, the total capital cost will likely be much higher.

Cold chain approach ensures greater segregation

The close contact between the general public and live poultry will be reduced to a greater extent under the cold chain approach, he said.

As the policy of separating people from live poultry would impinge on the trade interests, financial assistance would have to be given to live poultry traders affected. Formulation of a financial package would be worked out depending on the approach to be taken.

Improvement measures in place for markets, farms  

To reduce the potential threat of avian flu to people, the Government will take the following improvement measures:

* increasing the number of rest days per month;

* strengthening enforcement actions against breaches of hygiene-realted tenacy/licensing conditions;

* requiring a minimum distance, say, one metre, to be kept between live poultry cages and customers at retail outlets or segregation of live poultry from customers by means of acrylic panels;

* separating the wholesale markets for local and Mainland chickens;

* strengthening the biosecurity of local poultry farms to the highest standard and refusing to renew the licences of those who fail to meet the new standards;

* reviewing the transportation system for the conveyance of live poultry;

* reducing the number of live poultry stalls in retail markets through a voluntary buy-out package; and

* redesigning the stall layout to segregate customers from live poultry.

Private stalls must meet new requirements

Live poultry stallholders outside the wet markets managed by the Food & Environmental Department must liaise with their landlords to change their stall's configuration to meet the new requirements. Those who fail to comply will not be allowed to continue their business.

"The current preventive and surveillance measure to guard against avian influenza are not foolproof. Indeed retail outlets that sell live poultry pose the greatest risk," said Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Carrie Yau.

Although all chickens are vaccinated against the H5 virus, the vaccine does not confer protection against all kinds of avian influenza viruses, she added.

These improvement measures, while necessary and desirable, are not enough to meet the objective of keeping people away from live poultry. In the long term, Hong Kong must adopt one of the two strategic approaches. A consultation process to determine which one is now underway.

Public views welcome before July 2

The Government will take full account of views received before it determines which approach to take. It will then develop the implementation details and operational requirements for it.

The deadline for public consultation is July 2. The community is welcome to mail  their views and comments on the two strategic proposals to the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau, 10/F, Citibank Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong. It can send them by fax to 2136 3282 or by email to: avian_flu@hwfb.gov.hk.