Press Releases
Women's Commission appeals to all women in Hong Kong
The following is issued on behalf of the Women's Commission:
The Women's Commission appealed today (March 28) to all women in Hong Kong to take precautionary steps to protect their own health and that of their family's against the spread of atypical pneumonia.
The Commission also appealed to local women's groups and service agencies to provide support for women in the community to help prevent the spread of the disease.
"As carer for their family, women could take the lead in adopting necessary precautions to prevent family members from getting respiratory tract infections," said Mrs Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun, Chairperson of the Women's Commission.
"Women could lead their family members in maintaining good personal hygiene and a clean home environment," Mrs Leung said.
"Let us join hands together to fight this battle and prevent its further spread in the community," she added.
The Commission has sent the "Health Advice on Prevention of Respiratory Tract Infections" and other guidelines, posters and leaflets produced by the Department of Health to women's groups and service agencies.
As a lot of information is involved, the Commission has compiled a one-page useful tips for women as carer for the family, including advice on caring for sick family members, encouraging young family members who need not attend school to stay at home, giving suitable guidance to domestic helpers and promoting cleanliness in public areas such as lifts and lobbies. The one-page tips is at Annex.
Earlier on, the Commission gathered a series of questions from the women's groups and service agencies on how to prevent the spread of atypical pneumonia and reduce the chances of infection. Some of the questions are now answered by the Department of Health in the form of "Frequently Asked Questions" on the Department's website
(www.info.gov.hk/dh/). The questions can also be accessed through the Women's Commission website
(www.women.gov.hk).
End/Friday, March 28, 2003
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