VZCZCXRO0519
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHHM
DE RUEHHK #1221/01 1890113
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070113Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5238
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 0811
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2355
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 3792
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH PRIORITY 0823
RUEHVN/AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE PRIORITY 9658
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU PRIORITY 1319
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU PRIORITY 1271
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 0348
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI PRIORITY
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG PRIORITY 3764
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 4971
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 001221 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, 
STATE FOR AIAG, OES/IHA, S/ES-O/CMS, M/PRI, M/MED 
BEIJING FOR CHRISTENSEN/GREEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU EAGR PINR CH HK
SUBJECT: PANDEMIC PLANNING: HONG KONG RESPONSE 
 
REF: A. STATE 67936 
     ¶B. 06 STATE 177681 
     ¶C. HONG KONG 470 
 
¶1. (SBU) Consulate General Hong Kong appreciates the updated 
pandemic planning guidance and clarifications in reftel A, 
and submits the following response regarding Hong Kong and 
Macau preparedness and pandemic planning.  Post is taking/has 
taken the following actions: 
 
¶2. (SBU) Consulate Employee Awareness: Information on 
pandemic planning is included in RSO and CLO in-briefs for 
new arrivals, and on the Hong Kong Consulate Intranet 
website.  Post most recently issued an Admin Notice on 
influenza information on March 13, 2008 (08-043), in response 
to seasonal influenza outbreaks and the government's 
subsequent closure of primary schools for two weeks (reftel 
C).  In the fall of 2008, Post will hold an open briefing for 
all employees on pandemic planning, and issue updated 
administrative instructions.  Information on 
shelter-in-place, food, water and medication supplies, and 
health issues will be included in this outreach.  Post last 
issued such planning guidance on October 31, 2006 in response 
to reftel B. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Post Supplies: 
 
--Potable Water: Hong Kong water supply is potable.  We have 
advised families and the public that one gallon of Clorox 
(unscented) will sanitize over 3000 gallons of water, and 
families should store Clorox accordingly. 
 
--Medical Supplies: Supplies of hand sanitizer, antiviral 
medication, N-95 respirators, surgical masks, gloves and 
gowns are stockpiled at levels consistent with MED guidance 
and in secure locations. 
 
--Other Medical Materials: Post maintains appropriate stocks 
which are continually updated. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Continuity of Operations: 
 
--Coordination: Post's Avian Influenza Working Group (AIWG), 
chaired by the DPO, serves as the focal point for discussion, 
strategy and action on all pandemic planning and response 
matters.  The AIWG includes members from: E/P, MGMT, Health 
Unit, CONS, CLO, RSO, OLA (defense), PAS, and FAS. The Consul 
General approves all actions taken by the AIWG, and the group 
coordinates with the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) as 
needed.  The next crisis management tabletop exercise, 
scheduled for July 20-21, includes an avian influenza 
component. 
 
--Tripwires: Post tripwires are reviewed at every meeting of 
the AIWG, and are updated in the Emergency Action Plan and 
Crisis and Emergency Planning Application (CEPA). 
 
--Infrastructure Supplies: fuel, parts, computers, phones are 
available where it is prudent to house them.  For example, we 
do not stockpile gasoline as we do not have the facility to 
do so that would meet fire safety laws and regulations. 
However, other components (computers, phones, etc.) are 
well-stocked. 
 
--Cleaning Procedures: Post has protocols developed by the 
Health Unit, and approved by the AIWG, which include measures 
for cleaning facilities in a range of scenarios, from 
measures if pandemic influenza has been detected in Hong Kong 
to pandemic influenza symptoms are exhibited in an employee 
while at the Consulate. 
 
--Cross-training Employees: Most sections of the Consulate, 
 
HONG KONG 00001221  002 OF 002 
 
 
including the Management and Consular sections, have 
cross-trained both American and Locally-Engaged Staff as 
appropriate. 
 
--Communication Platforms: Post has the capability to 
communicate with Consulate employees by telephone, SMS and 
email.  Post has the capability to communicate with American 
citizens by email, newsletter, post's website, and SMS.  Key 
personnel have Open Net Everywhere (ONE) fobs to allow for 
work from home, and warden messages have been sent using this 
mechanism.  The Hong Kong Government also activates an 
influenza hotline at "serious-response level" or when any 
public health concern arises. 
 
¶5. (SBU) American Citizen Awareness: 
 
--Post last issued a warden message on March 13, 2008 
regarding influenza information in response to seasonal 
influenza outbreaks and the government's subsequent closure 
of primary schools for two weeks (reftel C).  Post's last 
comprehensive pandemic planning guidance was issued on 
October 31, 2006 in response to reftel B.  As updated 
information is provided to Consulate employees in the fall of 
2008, information will continue to be provided to American 
citizens consistent with the Department's "no double 
standard" policy. 
 
--Post's website his kept up-to-date and includes links to: 
www.pandemicflu.gov, and CA materials. To review, please 
visit: http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/ci avian.html. 
 
--OSAC/AMCHAM: RSO and CONS regularly brief U.S. companies 
through the OSAC.  In February 2008, Post hosted a CDC expert 
to discuss community mitigation at the American Chamber of 
Commerce Hong Kong. 
 
--International Schools: Post has met with the primary 
international schools for AI briefings and contingency 
planning, and will continue to do so. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: The Hong Kong Government operates at "code 
orange" alert on pandemic influenza issues for most of each 
year, as such, the Consulate's state of readiness is quite 
good.  In 2008, peak seasonal outbreaks in March and recent 
findings of the H5N1 virus in Hong Kong wet markets provided 
opportunities to review, test and revise the existing 
planning and response mechanisms.  Overall, confidence in the 
Hong Kong Government's and the Consulate's ability to respond 
to pandemic events is relatively high, but Post recognizes 
that in a large-scale pandemic event no amount of 
preparedness will be enough.  Post efforts in the fall of 
2008, following the Olympics and summer transfer season, will 
focus on renewing awareness among all Consulate employees and 
Americans in Hong Kong and Macau of the importance of 
pandemic planning consistent with guidance in reftel A.  End 
comment. 
 
¶7. (U) Post's point of contact until July 7 is ESTH Officer 
Dawn Schrepel, who can be reached at schrepeldm@state.gov, 
852-2841-2104 (office).  Her successor is Russ Westergard, 
who can be reached at westergardrw@state.gov, 852-2841-2202. 
Cunningham