XN000022-1985-03-22 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1985

A HUNTING-LINE SERVICE WOULD ALSO BE INSTALLED SO THAT MORE PEOPLE COULD HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME. THE OPERATION OF THIS INFORMATION 'HOTLINE' WOULD BE RE-ASSESSED AGAIN IN ONE MONTH'S TIME. ANY USEFUL SUGGESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE WERE WELCOME.

+ALTHOUGH SOMEONE HAS SAID THAT THE HOTLINE IS NOT HOT' ENOUGH, THE GENERAL COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED INDICATE THAT THE 'HOTLINE' IS A GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION WHICH HELPS TO CLARIFY MISCONCEPTIONS AND ALLEVIATE UNDUE ANXIETY OF THE PUBLIC.+ DR LEE SAID.

+THE AIM OF THE 24-HOUR INFORMATION HOTLINE' IS TO ENABLE THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HAVE ACCESS TO ACCURATE AND UPDATE INFORMATION ON AIDS.+

DR S.H. LEE SAID THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR FEARING THAT AIDS COULD BE CONTRACTED THROUGH DONATING BLOOD.

+DONATING BLOOD IS A SAFE PROCESS AND THE FEAR IS TOTALLY

UNFOUNDED.

+SINCE JUNE 1983. THE HONG KONG RED CROSS BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE HAS INTRODUCED A SCREENING PROCEDURE TO EXCLUDE PERSONS BELONGING TO HIGH RISKS GROUPS, SUCH AS HOMOSEXUALS AND DRUG ADDICTS, FROM DONATING BLOOD, THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN WORKING SATISFACTORILY, HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, THE HONG KONG RED CROSS BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE HAD ALL ALONG BEEN EMPLOYING DISPOSABLE SETS IN BLOOD COLLECTION, AND NEEDLES WERE USED ONCE ONLY AND NOT SHARED BETWEEN TWO DONORS.

TURNING TO THE RISK OF CONTRACTING AIDS BY HEALTH CARE AND LABORATORY WORKERS, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR SAID THAT IF PROPER PRECAUTIONS WERE FOLLOWED THERE SHOULD BE NO UNDUE RISK OF DEVELOPING AIDS THROUGH OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE.

RECENTLY THREE HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN HONG KONG HAD BEEN REPORTED THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE SPECIMEN OF AN AIDS PATIENT. SOME PEOPLE SUGGESTED THAT THESE WORKERS SHOULD BE SUSPENDED FROM THEIR DUTIES UNTIL THEY WERE CONFIRMED TO BE NON-CARRIERS.

+SUCH A SUGGESTION IS IRRATIONAL, DISCRIMINATING AND IS OF NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS, + DR S.H. LEE SAID.

AT THE LUNCHEON, DR LEE ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE MODE OF TRANSMISSION OF AIDS, THE GENERAL SITUATION OF THE DISEASE IN U.S.A. AND U.K., THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM ADOPTED IN HONG KONG AND PROGRAMMES LAUNCHED TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON AIDS.