Editorial | Importing carers is part of the solution
- Given the circumstances, there is no reason why Hong Kong should not swing open the door for mainland workers while extending the offer to locals at the same time
- The job also involves a certain degree of risk and hardship.
From social-distancing restrictions and testing to isolation and treatment, the shifting Covid-19 responses by the Hong Kong government have irked many people.
Among the debatable measures is the importation of temporary care workers from the mainland. Controversial as it is, the cross-border recruitment is a quick fix amid an urgent manpower crisis in the coronavirus-stricken health care sector.
The severity of the matter is reflected in the speedy transmissions in care homes. About 60 to 80 per cent of care homes for the elderly and disabled have reported cases, with thousands of residents and workers testing positive. The pressure on manpower and operation is obvious.
According to the government, the first batch of the targeted 1,000 imported workers was to arrive last week. They will be deployed to institutions for the elderly, people with disabilities, children at isolation facilities and holding centres, with a monthly salary of up to HK$30,000.
The offer seems attractive, especially for those who have been displaced from the Covid-battered economy. But the job also involves a certain degree of risk and hardship.