Public health remains the priority as city gets back to work

Hong Kong is struggling to get back to normal after the coronavirus epidemic forced people to stay home for more than a month. The civil service is resuming, as are betting and other crowd-gathering facilities. But the potential health risk also increases as a result. The situation must be closely monitored to guard against a wider outbreak in the community.

With economic activities in Macau and the mainland gradually resuming, the city is also under pressure to follow. The lack of a civil service has caused much inconvenience since late January when the 180,000public servants were told to work from home. While the use of technology has made this feasible, not all jobs can be handled remotely. Even though a basic operation can be maintained with reduced efficiency and productivity in some cases, many facilities and services are suspended because of health risks.

The pressure for the government to resume office work is understandable. The arrangements over the past two days were by and large smooth. Barring an unforeseeable development in the prevailing health crisis, the resumption of public services in stages seems a sensible step.

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The private sector is facing a similar situation. Many shops and restaurants have felt the crunch as people stay home. Productivity is also declining as working from home continues. Many businesses see the civil service as a reference and have resumed office work, while others are still monitoring. Given each industry has its own considerations, individual companies can decide what is best based on the prevailing circumstances.

Questions have been raised whether the government should provide sufficient surgical masks for employees. By law, all employers have the responsibility to provide a safe working environment for staff. But with the supply of surgical masks still running low, the stock will be quickly depleted if all workers turn to the government for supply.

That said, employers can do a lot more to protect employees’ health, such as stepping up cleaning and providing disinfectants in office. Staggered work and lunch hours also help reduce health risks. Workers should also stay vigilant, avoid eating out with colleagues and maintain strict personal hygiene.

Working from home and school suspensions are effective ways to curb the spread of the virus. As new cases emerge almost every day, the decision to resume work seems to be based on economic and social needs rather than scientific grounds. The situation must be closely monitored lest the outbreak widens.

Public health must be the priority. With vigilance and flexibility, the city can, hopefully, get back on track.