Thousands of members of the Chinese community participated in an online live forum on the Wechat platform on the coronavirus last Saturday night.
Called Keeping our community safe - How to respond to current COVID19, the online forum reached more than 15,000 people.
Participants were given an overview of the coronavirus (COVID19) and a summary of the the global situation.
Through the aid of interpreter Dr Jiang Li, Chief Health officer Dr Kerry Chant gave a description of actions taken to date in NSW.
The forum was convened by Georges River Councillor Nancy Liu who acted as MC.
"We estimated the number of audiences who were listening to the program at the same time would be around 15,000 within that 100-minute broadcast, which was so successful and received lots of positive feedback from the community," Councillor Liu said.
"It is such a creative and influential initiative to reach out to the community via this new Online technology based on Wechat platform," she said.
"It is a good model to get the message out to the community in conjunction with the government officials and Chinese medical professionals. It was such an exciting experience to work with those five speakers and our supporting team."
Speakers were Dr Kerry Chant. Chief Health Officer of NSW, and Deputy Secretary of Population and Public Health for NSW Health;
Dr Ven Tan: Family Doctor and Chinese Community leader;
Dr Zhen Zhang, Senior Forensic Psychiatrist;
Dr Jiang Li, Family doctor and interpreter for the program;
Mr Tie Shen, local Chinese Traditional Medicine doctor.
Other topics covered were:
- How can local people be prepared for preventing the COVID-19;
- In Australia, if there is any person to person transmitting; if not why there are differences with the COVID19 cases in China where person to person transmission is happening.
- The Health system in Australia towards the COVID-19 containing and treatments, any achievement and experience.
- Any advances for the vaccines or special treatment and what Australia is doing and who are doing them? How long at least to get the vaccines.
- How people especially Chinese community can relieve their stress from worrying the disease and the suffering from their friends and relatives in China.
- How Chinese traditional medicine could help us physically and mentally towards COVID19.
Dr Jiang Li said he asked Dr Chant a number of questions put by doctors from the 300-member Australian Chinese Medical Practitioners Society.
"Most of the doctors come from mainland China and are following the situation closely," Dr Li said.
"Currently there are 15 cases confirmed in Australia and no one has passed away.
"So we wanted to know how Australia is treating patients, which specific anti-viral drugs are doctors using and what is the follow-up with patients.
"We asked a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine what treatments he would use to combat the virus.
"Another problem is that if someone is an illegal immigrant and they get any symptoms they may be scared about seeing a doctor.
"We said this was a caring and humane country and that any treatment they received would be treated confidentially."
Dr Li said that Australia had been lucky because the outbreak happened in our summer.
"Because winter is three to four months away we asked vaccine may be available," he said.
"The World Health Organisation said that a vaccine may still be 12 to 18 months away."
Individuals and organisations contributing their time, expertise and resources to prepare the forum over the past three weeks were the Australian Chinese Medical Practitioners Society;
Australia Chinese United Business Association Federation; Wondercity Culture Media; Australian Business Elite Club; CNOSURE Pty Ltd; and Lucky Family Consulting
