The Pulse：Coronavirus update: medical workers on strike & impact on other industrial sectors, discus

On Tuesday, Hong Kong recorded the first fatality as a result of the so-called Wuhan coronavirus. That same day, two cases of local transmission were confirmed. Neither of the individuals involved had recently travelled to the mainland. The government has received plenty of criticism for measures described as being sluggish, inept and merely reactive. Chief Executive Carrie Lam has also had to apologise for her fast changing and contradictory remarks on mask usage. As the virus continues to spread, and trust in the administration remains low, members of the public have embarked on panic buying sprees, from masks to toilet rolls and from condoms to rice. At the forefront of this battle are the staff of public hospitals, thousands of whom are currently on strike. Their concerns are mirrored by other unions representing workers on trains, buses, planes, in hotels, and so on, who are also urging the government to close Hong Kong’s border to stop the coronavirus spreading.

As we saw earlier in the show, facing the threat of a major community outbreak of the novel coronavirus, thousands of hospital workers are on strike. They say a lack of protective gear, a hostile work environment and inadequate government policies are putting their lives and those of other Hongkongers in jeopardy. With me to talk about this is doctor and medical professor Lai Ching-lung.