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Compulsory COVID testing ordered for domestic helpers after variant strains appear in Hong Kong

蘋果日報 2021/05/01 06:19


Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong must get tested for COVID-19 before May 9 if they have not been vaccinated, health authorities ordered on Friday, after two strains of the disease were found for the first time in the city.
The Department of Health issued the order in the hope of containing the spread of the variants — the British N501Y and the South African E484K — before they develop into a fifth wave.
The new measure, which takes effect immediately, will likely affect about 370,000 workers in Hong Kong. It comes after a Filipino helper was diagnosed on Thursday with both the British and South African strains of COVID-19.
Domestic helpers who are in the process of applying for or renewing a work visa are also required to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Further details will be released soon by labor and immigration authorities, officials said.
Infectious disease specialist David Hui said it remains unclear how the Filipino helper became infected, and that the chain of infection remains unclear.
The 39-year-old helper reportedly had no travel history this year. Meanwhile, her employer’s 10-month-old daughter was later found to have contracted both of the coronavirus strains.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Sophia Chan reminded domestic helpers to avoid gatherings, sharing food or attending social activities on the May 1 public holiday. If they have to socialize, they must wear a mask, wash their hands frequently and maintain social distancing to ensure personal safety, Chan told a press briefing on Thursday.
The Hong Kong government also imposed a 15-day travel ban on arrivals from Nepal starting on Saturday midnight, after two cases were found that could be traced back to the South Asian country. The city has already banned travel from India, Pakistan and the Philippines.
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