Time for action over Hong Kong helpers’ jab papers
- Concern over the vaccination records of those from the Philippines and Indonesia is real enough, but hopeful middle-class employers are hurting
The coronavirus has highlighted vulnerable sectors of society. One that has come to light as restrictions take their toll is the less affluent middle class, for whom the employment of a domestic helper is a matter of necessity, not choice.
Typical among them are a working couple who need to employ a helper to care for children or elders, and often budget to the last dollar. Bans on flights from the Philippines and Indonesia, the main sources of helpers, reduced supply, increased demand and often forced up monthly wages from the minimum of HK$4,630 (US$594) to as much as HK$8,000 (US$1,027) or more.
The bans may have just been lifted, but the thorny issue of agreement on foreign vaccination records that satisfy Hong Kong authorities remains. Thankfully, a government source says officials hope talks will resolve remaining issues, including the language used on certificates and who authorised them, before the end of the month.
A Philippine official said certificates from his country were not accepted because they did not share a single source.
Reluctance to recognise the vaccination credentials of other countries is part of a wider problem and not confined to Hong Kong. Apart from the inconvenience and even hardship they may cause to individual travellers, disputes can waste resources through the need for multiple vaccinations, which in itself raises possible health risks.