"The number of patients received by emergency services of hospitals has reached 5,000 persons each day," said the HA Chief Manager (Cluster Performance) Michael Wong Lap-gate, "It is anticipated that we may face challenges of influenza and Covid simultaneously in the upcoming winter."

He added the HA will strengthen its triage to lessen unnecessary hospital admissions, and hospitals will continue to reinforce laboratory services, ward rounds of clinicians, supporting service for hospital discharge and transfer, geriatrics support, as well as night shift nursing and supporting staff workforce in order to enhance patient service.

Besides, Wong added, general out-patient clinic service will be enhanced by adding 18,000 service quotas, including around 3,500 quotas during the long holidays.

"More clinics will provide service during Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Easter long holidays, to cover more districts," Wong noted.

"We are facing a manpower shortage, but we still hold enough resources," Wong claimed when responding to the resignation rate in public hospitals for doctors and nurses, which logged eight and 10 percent.

"Public hospitals have reserved resources for planning for manpower," he said, “such as encouraging and facilitating healthcare staff to join the Special Honorarium Scheme and the ongoing recruitment of locum and part-time healthcare staff."