Hong Kong healthcare practitioner jailed for 6 months for offering HK$1,000 bribe to nurse for Covid vaccination record
- Cheung Chin-hang’s behaviour an attempt to endanger public health amid pandemic, Acting Principal Magistrate Veronica Heung says
- Defendant admits under caution he tried to bribe nurse to keep his job at government-designated district health centre which required vaccination
Acting Principal Magistrate Veronica Heung Shuk-han on Wednesday said Cheung Chin-hang’s behaviour was an attempt to endanger public health during the pandemic.
The 25-year-old practitioner, who claimed he had a heart condition and was unfit for vaccination, was required to obtain a medical certificate exempting him from the jabs in September last year so he could enter his workplace, a government-designated district health centre.
Hong Kong man charged over offering nurse HK$1,000 for Covid jab record
Cheung earlier pleaded guilty for attempting to bribe the nurse at Osman Ramju Sadick Memorial Sports Centre in Kwai Chung in September last year. The nurse rejected his offer of two HK$500 bank notes.
Under caution, the defendant admitted the sole reason he attempted to bribe the nurse was to keep his job, as his company had required him to be inoculated against the virus, but his doctor had refused to issue another exemption certificate after giving him two in the past.
The magistrate said she did not believe Cheung had myocarditis as he claimed because he had not asked for medical help nor completed a body check.
Cheung’s counsel urged the court to consider his positive attitude and feelings of remorse, but the court insisted imprisonment was the only suitable sentence as “the city bears no tolerance for bribery and corruption”.
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Under Department of Health guidelines provided to medical practitioners during the pandemic, people who had serious allergic reactions to the jabs or were unfit to receive them could obtain an exemption certificate valid for 90 days.
Authorities launched a vaccine pass scheme in phases starting in February last year amid the fifth wave of the pandemic in the city. The scheme, aimed at raising the vaccination rate, required residents to get inoculated if they wanted to enter premises such as government buildings, hair salons, fitness centres, restaurants and healthcare facilities.
The scheme was dropped in December last year following an easing of pandemic control measures as the Covid situation in the city showed signs of improvement.
