Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. We are deeply concerned by reports that a 15-year-old boy was subdued by three plain-clothes police officers with unnecessary use of force at a basketball court in Wong Tai Sin on March 6 over an alleged breach of social distancing rules. Children have suffered greatly during the pandemic, especially as they have not been able to attend school or use public parks and leisure facilities for extended periods over the past two years. Although sports venues are temporarily closed, children have a right to play under Article 31.1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The first response to children playing in an inappropriate venue, even during a pandemic, should be measured and commensurate with their status as children and the threat posed by their actions. Police officers should give warnings and never use violence. Unarmed children who are only engaging in sports should not be criminalised but treated in a civilised manner. Moreover, families must be offered more support and provided with child-friendly public health education to avoid such incidents in future. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of children must be a measure of last resort. Children must be treated with dignity, taking into account their needs as children – these are legal requirements under Article 37 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. Therefore, we call on the Commissioner of Police to look into this case and train officers to handle future incidents differently. Heavy-handed use of force against children playing will lead to needless disaffection between the youth, the public and law enforcement. This sort of incident must never be repeated and every effort must be made to avoid further violent confrontations. Such steps are vital to rebuild and maintain trust between law enforcement, the public and youth of Hong Kong in the long run. Azan Aziz Marwah, chairperson, Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights Impose vaccine mandate for carers of elderly and children Our household includes two children aged four and five, and grandparents in their 70s with chronic diseases. We rely on two domestic helpers to look after them so that my wife and I can go to work to support the family. However, although everyone in the family has been fully vaccinated, the two domestic helpers have declined to take the jab despite encouragement and hints from us. We hesitate to take a stronger stand in case they look elsewhere for a job and we cannot find replacements, an outcome which would greatly impact our jobs. One of the helpers is not required to go to the supermarket or market, nor does she go to church on her day off, so the requirement to show proof of vaccination when entering certain venues does not affect her. It is also of limited effect on our other helper. We also have no idea where they go during their days off or who they congregate with. With the oldest and youngest members of our family in their care, you can understand our anxiety. If vaccination was mandatory for carers or people who have close contact with vulnerable people during their employment, whether in a commercial or domestic setting, it would close a big loophole in Hong Kong’s fight against Covid-19. The failure to impose such a mandate will only prolong the pandemic. It is time the government takes a stronger stand. Maldivesa Kwok, Tai Po Vaccine politics has cost hundreds of lives As the pandemic continues to unfold in Hong Kong, one thing is clear. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people decided to put politics before science. Regrettably, they chose not to get vaccinated as they did not trust the Hong Kong government. Many journalists have blamed the government for this, saying their information campaign was not clear. I would tend to disagree; it was hard not to notice the many adverts promoting the vaccine. Yet such was the level of apathy that some vaccination centres shut down due to a lack of interest. As the city tries to move forward, I hope more people will put their trust in science and leave politics to one side. Sadly, it has already cost hundreds of lives. If one lesson is learned, I hope it will be that when you are dealing with a lethal pandemic, there is no sense to bring politics into it; listen to the science first. James Griffiths, Pok Fu Lam