A temporary isolation facility for Covid-19 patients under construction in Hong Kong. Photo: AP
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https://scmp.com/comment/article/3169471/importing-carers-part-solution Opinion
Importing carers is part of the solution
- Given the circumstances, there is no reason why Hong Kong should not swing open the door for mainland workers while extending the offer to locals at the same time
- The job also involves a certain degree of risk and hardship.
Health workers from mainland China test samples from Hong Kong residents for the coronavirus at an inflatable mobile testing lab in Hong Kong. Photo: AP
From social-distancing restrictions and testing to isolation and treatment, the shifting Covid-19 responses by the Hong Kong government have irked many people.
Among the debatable measures is the importation of temporary care workers from the mainland. Controversial as it is, the cross-border recruitment is a quick fix amid an urgent manpower crisis in the coronavirus-stricken health care sector.
The severity of the matter is reflected in the speedy transmissions in care homes. About 60 to 80 per cent of care homes for the elderly and disabled have reported cases, with thousands of residents and workers testing positive. The pressure on manpower and operation is obvious.
According to the government, the first batch of the targeted 1,000 imported workers was to arrive last week. They will be deployed to institutions for the elderly, people with disabilities, children at isolation facilities and holding centres, with a monthly salary of up to HK$30,000.
The offer seems attractive, especially for those who have been displaced from the Covid-battered economy. But the job also involves a certain degree of risk and hardship.
Questions have been raised whether local jobseekers should be given priority. Applicants apparently only need to be able to communicate in Cantonese, with no other specific skills and work experience required.
Officials said they had contacted employment agencies across the border and that there would be basic training for three days before deployment. Given the circumstances, there is no reason why we should not swing open the door for mainland workers while extending the offer to locals at the same time.
Earlier, the government invoked emergency regulations to enable mainland doctors and nurses to help combat the epidemic here.
Indeed, the manpower at care homes has been a long-standing issue over the years. The low vaccination rate among the elderly and vulnerable has made the care home sector one of the weakest links in the city’s defence mechanism.
The wider issue is our fast-ageing population. By 2038, about one in three people will be aged 65 and above. A long-term solution is needed to ensure those in need will be taken care of.