Care Workers Given Two Weeks To Get Tested For Covid

Workers at care homes have been given two weeks to get tested for Covid-19 as a number of facilities were hit by the latest wave of coronavirus infections.

The government says all staff working at care homes for the elderly and disabled people must get tested before December 14 at one of the government’s community testing centres or recognised private laboratories, in order to continue working between December 15 and 21.

Anyone who fails to do so will be fined HK$2,000. If they continue to violate the order, they could be fined HK$25,000 and jailed for six months.

A spokesman for the Social Welfare Department said most residents at care homes are frail elderly people whose life will be under serious threat if they are infected with Covid-19.

Operators of the care homes are required to keep records of their staff’s test results for checks.

A nursing home for the elderly in San Po Kong and a care institution for disabled people in Shau Kei Wan have been evacuated after some staff and residents there came down with coronavirus. Two workers at an elderly care home in Tai Kok Tsui were also infected.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said on Monday care home staff would be offered transport subsidies for them to go to government testing centres during their time off from work.