Communicable disease control: The Intertwining of Public Health Measures and Ethical Dilemmas

This paper delves into the communicable disease control in Hong Kong and mainland China from the perspectives of public health and ethics. It first introduces Hong Kong's public health law, policies, and organizational structure for disease control. Then, it applies theories such as Utilitarianism, Deontology, Communitarianism, and Libertarianism to justify infectious disease control measures, including coercive methods like isolation and quarantine. Through the analysis of real - world cases of SARS and H7N9, it demonstrates the effectiveness of control measures. The research shows that communicable disease control is a vital part of public health. Although some measures may interfere with individual freedoms, they are justifiable based on specific moral principles in different situations. The moral foundation of these control policies is relatively solid, and they have positive effects in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.