'Make Frequent Tests Mandatory At Care Homes'

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2020-10-09 HKT 10:58

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  Lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun says current regulations of testing care home staff once in a fortnight is not good enough. File photo: RTHK

Social welfare-sector lawmaker, Shiu Ka-chun, on Friday called for mandatory Covid-19 tests for staff at care home workers, saying the current regulation of testing them once in a fortnight was not effective enough.

Speaking on RTHK's Millennium programme, Shiu said as residents and staff at care homes are vulnerable sections and such people should be required to undergo tests more frequently, like in the United Kingdom.

Hong Kong has seen coronavirus clusters develop in some facilities that take care of elderly people and on Thursday's 18 confirmed cases, 11 were residents of a disabled care home.

Shiu also told the programme that he found some staff at care homes didn’t use protective gear properly, and ventilation could be improved.

He said among around 700 care homes in Hong Kong, some 200 elderly hostels are providing services which he said were only of a basic level.