Letters | Beware of businesses using Covid-19 as an excuse to raise prices
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Early in the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses suffered because of tight social restrictions. This inevitably led to increased prices, including for medical services.
When I took my pets to the vet clinic recently, I noticed the bill had gone up, including for the medical treatment they received. When I questioned a new administrative fee of HK$100 or US$12.70, the staff explained that it was an “extra Covid biosecurity fee” levied since March 10. I believe the onus is on the medical clinic or hospital to make sure that its premises or facilities are bio-secure. Why should an extra fee be charged specifically for this virus? No such fees had been levied in the past two years; I fail to understand what additional measures had been taken to protect me and my pets.
The clinic management explained that it was “an administrative fee to ensure the [clinic] functions at the very highest level as a leading healthcare provider” and that it partially covers expenses related to its microbiological surveillance programme, isolation and quarantine facilities, protective gear for staff, ventilation systems and management of zoonotic situations that may emerge. They also said that Covid-19 was not “the main reason” for the fee, which also covers leptospirosis, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and tuberculosis.
It seems the clinic is using Covid-19 as an excuse to levy a charge on customers for what should be part of its operating costs in maintaining a bio-secure environment for its staff, patients and clients.
Y.L. Lee, To Kwa Wan