Helpers facing new flight curbs

At least 1,000 domestic workers from the Philippines could be prevented from coming to Hong Kong under a new mechanism halting flights from countries to stop the spread of highly infectious mutant strains of Covid-19, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong warns.

Hong Kong employs 400,000 domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia, but the pandemic has been particularly severe in the Philippines lately, with about 10,000 people infected a day.

Media reports say the increases in infections could have been sparked by mutant strains and the poor rollout of vaccination - despite the Philippines imposing one of the most stringent lockdowns in the world.

The Philippines' tally stood at 926,052 cases yesterday, including 15,814 deaths.

This compared with Indonesia's tally of 1,604,348, with 43,424 deaths - the second highest in Asia.

Law said on his blog: "Given the serious epidemic situation in the Philippines recently, there is a high chance that it would be affected by the new place-specific flight suspension mechanism."

Philippine consul-general Raly Tejada told The Standard: "We were not informed officially about the place-specific scheme. We hope it will not be needed as it will displace thousands of workers."

Under the new mechanism, in place since Wednesday, if five or more passengers on flights from the same place are confirmed on arrival for Covid-19 with the N501Y mutant strain within seven days, the government would prohibit all passenger flights from that place from landing in Hong Kong for 14 days.

Law said the imported cases were mainly brought in by inbound flights from the Philippines and Indonesia and that the mechanism will affect 1,000 foreign domestic helpers and their employers if it is invoked.

"Not only would newly hired foreign domestic helpers be delayed from arriving in Hong Kong, but those who have returned to their home country for vacation may also be stranded," Law said.

"I appeal for candid dialogues, mutual respect and understanding between foreign domestic helpers and their employers in working out an appropriate arrangement."

Law called for employers to encourage their helpers to get vaccinated before leaving Hong Kong, adding that domestic helpers are part of the vaccination priority group.

The Philippine consulate in Hong Kong and the University of the Philippines Alumni Association Hong Kong held an online vaccine talk yesterday to encourage 206,481 domestic workers and some 26,000 Philippine residents in the SAR along with their families back home to get vaccinated.

The Labour and Welfare Bureau held a meeting with the consulate two weeks ago, urging the mission to encourage their nationals to get immunized.