Coronavirus: British, Australian consulates in Hong Kong raise ‘serious concern’ over separation of parents and babies who test positive
- British Consul General Brian Davidson says he has challenged local authorities ‘about how unacceptable and damaging it is to separate infants from parents’
- Australian consulate has received messages over past few days from anxious parents worried about being separated from their children
The British and Australian consulates in Hong Kong have issued strongly worded statements to local authorities over concerns that parents would be separated from infants who tested positive for the coronavirus.
The statement followed news on Tuesday that a British mother, who asked to be identified only by her first name Laura, was separated from her 11-month-old baby girl, who was admitted to hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.
Despite the mother’s pleas, Laura said she was told to leave Queen Mary Hospital or the police would be called. Although the baby was in stable condition, the child was required to remain at the hospital for at least seven days, as required under the health policy for Covid-19 patients.
On Thursday, the mother told the Post that the family had been reunited that afternoon and were staying in Penny’s Bay quarantine camp.
“[I’m] just so grateful she is healthy and well,” Laura said.
British Consul General Brian Davidson said in a video on Facebook that he knew parents were particularly worried, as the city fights its fifth wave of infections.