(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) Nearly 340,000 foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong have undergone mandatory inspections, and about 40,000 have been vaccinated
China News Service, Hong Kong, May 10 (Reporter Han Xingtong) Earlier, the first case of local infection with a variant virus of unknown origin occurred in Hong Kong, and it was confirmed that a foreign domestic helper was carrying a double variant virus.
The SAR government has issued mandatory testing orders to all foreign domestic helpers. As of the deadline at 6 pm on the 9th, nearly 340,000 foreign domestic helpers have completed the testing, and about 40,000 foreign domestic helpers have been vaccinated against the new crown.
The number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong has fallen for several days and tends to be stable. However, it was suddenly discovered on April 29 that a foreign domestic helper was infected with the double mutant virus, and the foreign domestic helper had arrived in Hong Kong since 2019. There is no recent travel history. It is believed to be the first in Hong Kong. Cases of a variant virus of unknown origin and local infection.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is ready to wait and announced on April 30 that it will issue mandatory testing orders to 370,000 foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong, requiring them to be tested from May 1 to 9; after completing the COVID-19 vaccination, they have received two doses of the vaccine and have already received two doses of the vaccine. Foreign domestic helpers who have passed 14 days can be exempted from compulsory testing.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Law Chi Kwong, said that foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong mainly help to take care of family members, especially the elderly, and their situation is roughly similar to that of employees in institutions who take care of the elderly and the disabled.
In addition, since they mainly gather with friends on holidays, once they contract the virus, they may cause cross-infection across families.
From the perspective of epidemic prevention, foreign domestic helpers belong to a high-risk group.
To prevent the spread of the mutant virus in the community this time, the SAR government must strengthen the epidemic prevention measures for foreign domestic helpers.
Due to the huge number of people involved in this mandatory testing order, the SAR government has set up mobile testing stations in a number of community testing centers and locations where foreign domestic helpers often gather, including the Chater Road pedestrian zone in Central, Causeway Bay Victoria Park, Lai Chi Kok Park and Tsuen Wan park.
According to official figures, as of 6 pm on the 9th, nearly 340,000 foreign domestic helpers have taken samples or submitted deep throat saliva test samples at 21 community testing centers and mobile sampling stations in various districts in Hong Kong.
In addition, according to estimates, about 40,000 foreign domestic helpers have been vaccinated with two doses of the new crown vaccine.
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