However, this is only a small fraction of the contribution the private sector could achieve if it wanted to, and makes no attempt to stop the large number of Covid-positive private patients continuing to burden the public system. In the next few days all private hospitals must decide whether to set aside old rivalries and self-interest to collaborate in good faith and contribute at scale to the fight to save lives in Hong Kong, or remain on the sidelines.

At least one private hospital needs to devote itself to the care of low-risk Covid-positive private patients and all other private hospitals and private clinics need to do what they can to support that service.

The private sector needs to collectively make a determined attempt to properly provide for its patients with Covid-19. In particular, if the private sector does not do everything it can to ensure safer options for an increasing number of pregnant patients booked to deliver in private hospitals who will test positive for Covid-19, it would be failing in its basic duty of care.

Our private medical sector is one of the most expensive in the world, and private health care expenditure accounts for 3 per cent of Hong Kong’s gross domestic product. Our reputation is at stake, and we all need to step up.

Dr Lucy Lord, Central

Rapid test must not decide students’ DSE fate

I suggest that all students who test positive at the exam venue be put in a separate room to complete the exam. They then can choose to complete all other sittings or void the results and use any alternative assessment method suggested by the Education Bureau.

If they are in quarantine because of Covid-19, then arrangements should also be made for them to sit for their examinations in specially designated venues. We should not let the pandemic run roughshod over our education and examination systems or dash the hopes of aspiring college freshmen when every day, we pull out all stops to defeat the virus.

Linda Kwok, Tseung Kwan O

Public exam backup plans are sound and welcome

Nothing matters more than students’ health and safety, and with hundreds of schools possibly earmarked for the implementation of universal mass testing, isolation and vaccination, closures of school campuses are necessary. It is only through effective control of the pandemic that students can safely resume face-to-face learning on campus.

Online learning has been widely adopted by schools in the territory to compensate for the loss of lesson time. However, it is at best a stopgap measure. Prolonged exposure to screens could exacerbate students’ eyesight problems, and the pedagogical effectiveness of months’ worth of online lessons is also questionable.

The invisible children: how online learning failed special needs students

Lack of in-person interaction with peers also has an emotional impact and affects the development of young children’s social skills.

Therefore, bringing the summer holiday forward, in the hope that face-to-face learning can resume in the summer, is a bold move.

As for the Diploma of Secondary Education, the current backup plans, which include pushing back the commencement date of the exam and evaluating candidates’ performance based on their school assessments in the worst-case scenario that the DSE needs to be cancelled, are also sensible.

Of course, candidates would like to sit the DSE this year without fear for their safety. Therefore, they should follow the exam authority’s guidelines and show negative rapid test results before entering exam venues. They should not put themselves, other candidates and exam personnel at risk if they test positive for Covid-19. Meanwhile, candidates should get vaccinated, continue to practise hand hygiene, wear face masks properly and avoid venturing outside.

The previous two DSE cohorts also took the exam amid the pandemic. With all safety measures taken, the current cohort should be able to weather the storm too.

Jason Tang, Tin Shui Wai