Vulnerable yet valuable sector becomes an easy target
- The reasoning behind the drastic measure requiring foreign domestic helpers to be vaccinated before their contracts can be renewed is both flawed and discriminatory
Just as we thought it was safe to return to normal life in Hong Kong, the threat of a fresh wave of Covid-19 cases has emerged. The discovery of mutated forms of the virus in the city must be taken seriously.
But the government’s requirement that foreign domestic helpers get vaccinated before being allowed to sign or renew their contracts is discriminatory, as is the order that all 370,000 of them be tested.
This vulnerable yet valuable sector of our society is an easy target. The reasoning behind these drastic measures, the strictest yet to focus on a particular sector of the community, is flawed.
The trigger for the new measures is the alarming discovery of variants of the virus in Hong Kong that are likely to spread quickly.
Two domestic helpers from the Philippines have been found to be infected with mutated strains. One has recently arrived in the city from her home country.
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The other case, involving a 39-year-old, is more worrying. It is the first discovery of a mutated strain contracted locally. This has led to fears the variant is circulating in the community.
The 39-year-old’s case prompted the quarantine of 950 residents of a housing block in Tung Chung. They have all tested negative. But it has also led to the introduction of broader measures covering all foreign domestic helpers.
Labour minister Dr Law Chi-kwong described them as a “high risk group.” He said: “They mainly hang out with their friends during their holidays. If they are infected, that can likely lead to cross-family infections.”
But that applies to everyone. We all like to meet friends on our day off. When we do so, there is a risk of cross-infection.
Another justification cited by Law is that foreign domestic helpers often work with elderly people who are at high risk from the virus. But this does not apply to all of them. If that logic is followed, the requirement to get a vaccination should cover everyone who cares for elderly people, not just foreign domestic helpers.
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The only reason domestic helpers could reasonably be considered high risk is because they may have arrived from a country such as the Philippines, where new variants have recently emerged and the number of cases has surged. But the same concerns apply to anyone arriving from such places. If two bankers or lawyers had tested positive for variants would the government subject those professions to the same measures?
Law stressed the requirements were driven by public health concerns, not prejudice. But on foreign domestic helpers, he also said: “They can choose not to work in Hong Kong. They are not Hong Kong residents.”
This, perhaps, is the crux of the matter. Foreign domestic helpers are not allowed to become permanent residents. But many have lived here years and some for decades. Hong Kong is their home. They contribute much to the community and the economy by providing the care that allows their employers to go out and work.
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Foreign domestic helpers are vulnerable even in normal times, often facing discrimination. They have suffered much during the pandemic. Their support networks, usually involving religious activities and community gatherings, have been curbed. They are isolated from their families overseas. The helpers are in need of support.
The vaccines available in Hong Kong are effective against variants of the virus found in the city. The best way to emerge from the pandemic is for the whole community to get vaccinated. Foreign domestic helpers should certainly get the jab. But so should everyone else. Whether or not to have a vaccination is a matter of personal choice. I am getting my second jab on Monday. But the take up rate in Hong Kong is low. The government must do more to ease concerns and persuade the whole community to get vaccinated.
Requiring foreign domestic helpers to do so in circumstances where a refusal means giving up their job and leaving Hong Kong is not acceptable. It looks all too much like picking on the usual suspects.
