No more isolation

Sophie Hui

Bosses must soon decide on their own if Covid-hit employees should go to work as doctors will stop issuing sick leave certificates automatically for anyone who tests positive.

This follows authorities announcing yesterday that a five-day compulsory isolation order for Covid patients is being scrapped from January 30.

Revealing the end of the isolation mandate - in force since January 2020 - during a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said Hong Kong has developed herd immunity with a three-jab rate of 95 percent, while millions of people have been infected.

Many patients have mild symptoms and people now have better knowledge and ability in handling the coronavirus, he said, so "Covid will be treated [like] any other upper respiratory disease."

Lee added: "This important step is based on scientific evidence and is risk-based. This is an inevitable step experienced by overseas countries and [also] for Hong Kong. We have reached this stage."

Later, health officials explained doctors will examine Covid patient case by case - like they would with any upper respiratory infections.

So people with Covid symptoms should consult a doctor and they can be given sick leave proof for a duration according to the severity of their symptoms and clinical diagnosis.

But those with mild or no discomfort may not be given sick leave and can go out and go to work, said Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection.

As for students, he added, the infected should not go to school until they test negative to protect other youngsters.

And instead of mandatory isolation sufferers will be advised to wear a mask in the first five days after infection, not to interact with other people without a mask and to avoid crowds and big gatherings.

Also from January 30 people who are in official quarantine facilities will be able to leave "in an orderly manner." But considering that some people's living environments are inappropriate for isolation the facilities will remain in operation until February 28.

Only Hong Kong residents can stay there for up to seven days and leave any time they want, but they cannot reenter a facility once they have left.

Three Covid declaration systems including two online facilities for people who test positive in rapid antigen and PCR tests will also stop operating from January 30.

Hospital Authority chief executive Tony Ko Pat-sing said infected patients can seek treatment at more than 70 general out-patient clinics, which will provide oral drugs against Covid.

Also, the consultation quota will be increased to 10,000 daily from the current 7,500.

Despite similarities with influenza, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau noted that Covid has higher transmissibility and the two viruses have different symptoms, vaccines and treatments.

He hopes people will not drop their guard against the coronavirus, warning of serious conditions if people contract Covid and flu at the same time.

Lo said Covid is still affecting high-risk groups such as the elderly and young children, so "we have to continue our fight against this disease not in the sense of using social distancing measures or isolation orders but with effective vaccines, with our personal hygiene measures and also with effective treatment."

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han underlined that people infected with Covid can still go to work and employers must pay them if they are asked them to not show up.

He said the testing requirement for staff at care homes will remain, but infected workers are "strongly urged" not to work and so minimize transmission risks. And authorities have provided subsidies for homes to hire additional personnel.

Suen Lap-man, director of human resources firm Watson Consultancy, suggested employers make flexible arrangements despite infected employees being allowed to go to work from January 30.

People may still have worries at the beginning of the new arrangement, he said, so flexible arrangements could include allowing a infected worker to take sick leave for one or two days for observation as symptoms could show up later.

He suggested work from home is an alternative.

Also yesterday, sources said Hong Kong-Shenzhen land ports at Luohu, Huanggang and Liantang could reopen early next month.

sophie.hui@singtaonewscorp.com