Catholic churches resume public masses Thu, but online services continue

By The SUN 

Public masses resume under strict guidelines

The Catholic Church in Hong Kong, led by Cardinal John Tong, has come out with guidelines on the resumption of public masses and other related services starting tomorrow, at the start of the observance of the Holy Week.

But online masses will continue, along with online observance of such Holy Week traditions like Station of the Cross, Veneration of the Cross, Mass Vigil and Easter Mass.

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Fr Jay Flandez, chaplain for Filipinos in Hong Kong, has come up with his own online schedule for services from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday.

According to the Church guidelines issued Wednesday through the Chancery, the following shall be observed:

1. All parish churches are allowed to resume public masses on weekdays and Sundays starting tomorrow, Holy Thursday. During mass, the public may receive Holy Communion.

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2. Churches should be well ventilated and seats disinfected regularly.

3. No more than 30% of the church’s capacity should be filled.

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4. Before entering the church compound, everyone must scan the “LeaveHomeSafe” venue QR code or to record their names, contact numbers, and the date and time of their visits on registration forms. The information collected will be kept for 31 days and will be used solely for contact tracing purposes in case of an infection being reported.

5. Everyone who enters the church compound should put on a face mask, take body temperature and cleanse their hands with sanitizer to be provided at the entrance. The use of holy water at the church entrance should be suspended.  

6. Ushers should see to it that those inside the church maintain social-distancing.

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7. No liturgical booklets or hymnals should be provided, and projectors may be used instead.

8. Sunday collections should be taken up after mass, with one or several donation boxes provided.

9. The sign of peace should be expressed by bowing heads, instead of shaking hands.

10. For the time being, the host should be received only in cupped hands, which should be sanitized before receiving Communion.

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11. No socializing will be allowed after the mass, and all seats should be cleansed and disinfected immediately.

12. If feasible, those who are not able to join the mass inside the church may be allowed to take part in an open, spacious area nearby through online, and receive Holy Communion.

13. Each parish may arrange to give out Holy Communion to those who have attended Sunday Masses online

14. Children, the elderly or disabled and those who accompany them to mass may sit together.

15. Sunday mass remains an obligation of every Catholic, but given the restrictions imposed amid the pandemic, parishioners may (i) attend mass online and receive spiritual Communion, or perform some acts of devotion such as reading the Bible or (ii) go to weekday masses instead.

16. Sunday schools, catechism classes, gatherings of lay associations and small-group meetings may be resumed, provided all anti-pandemic precautionary measures are observed.

17. Having regard to current gathering restrictions, parishes may make special arrangements for the Holy Week Liturgy, in line with guidelines set by the Diocesan Liturgy Commission.

The faithful can also watch online the Holy Week Liturgy (by visiting diocesan website: www.catholic.org.hk and the facebook link of Sunday Examiner https://www.facebook.com/Sunday-Examiner-609821205700415/ )

The following will also be observed from tomorrow:

On Holy Thursday, Cardinal Tong will officiate at the Chism Mass, to be participated only by members of the Diocesan Curia and the Deans who will distribute the newly consecrated holy oil to the affiliated parishes.

On Good Friday, Catholics aged 14 years old and above should abstain from meat. Those who are aged 18 to 59 years old are also obliged to fast.

On Holy Saturday, all priests may administer confirmation to adults or children who received baptism some time ago, provided they have been properly instructed.

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Migrants group says ‘job hopping’ a myth, slams Immigration crackdown

By The SUN 

Poster announcing the AMCB-led protest against crackdown on 'job hoppers'

A migrant domestic workers coalition has condemned as discriminatory the Immigration Department’s act of refusing work visas to foreign domestic workers they label as “job hoppers”  - even if all they did was to quit bad employers.

More than 170 workers and their supporters vented their anger against the Immigration crackdown in a live online protest on Facebook today, Mar 31, led by the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body.

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The rally came on the heels of a statement from Immigration that it rejected 355 work visas in January and February as it strengthened its campaign against suspected job-hopping MDWs. The figure exceeded the total work visa denials for the entire 2020.

The Immigration also said it had launched an operation on Mar 23 in which its officers visited “relevant” agencies to warn them against encouraging or inducing workers to shift employers.

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AMCB spokespersons and other protest speakers said it is unfair for Immigration to accuse workers of job-hopping when they all they did was to leave employers who treated them badly in violation of their work contracts.

In an earlier statement, AMCB also dismissed as ridiculous allegations that FDWs accept cash incentives from employment agencies to change employers, or deliberately do bad work so they can be terminated.

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As the processing of work visas usually take between two to three months, it does not make sense for FDWs to change employers on a mere whim because they cannot afford being jobless for that long, AMCB said.

AMCB has led the fight for migrant workers rights amid the pandemic (File)

“This is clear discrimination, stigmatization, and a crackdown amidst Covid-19 against over 350,000 foreign domestic workers who contribute significantly to the Hong Kong people, economy, and government,” said Dolores Balladares, who also heads United Filipinos in Hong Kong.

“This is a crackdown on powerless and impoverished migrant domestic workers who had been hit hard by the pandemic. This is clearly modern-day slavery. What they are saying is that, as domestic workers in Hong Kong, our rights and dignity don’t matter,” she said.

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Balladares said the malicious accusations of job-hopping force MDWs to keep silent about their working conditions and to just accept what the employers want them to do so as not to lose their livelihood.

“When we stand up for our rights and voice out our concerns, we are at risk of being accused of ‘job-hopping’ and sent back home. This fear forces many MDWs to accept a slave wage and slave-like working conditions,” she said.

Balladares says accusing FDWs of job hopping is discriminatory 

Cita, an Indonesian helper, said in a testimony that she ended her contract after being forced to work long hours and do excessive work. She found a new employer and got a new work visa, but it was voided when her ex-employer complained to Immigration.

Cita said that despite giving evidence of her poor working conditions, Immigration accused her of job-hopping and upheld the decision to cancel her visa. She was forced to return to Indonesia and reapply to come back and work for a new employer.

Cherry, a Filipina helper who had been denied days off, said in her testimony that she argued with her employer when she insisted on taking a holiday. After she was fired she found a new employer but Immigration rejected her visa application even if she was terminated just once.

The two workers’ testimonies highlighted the confusion caused by Immigration’s policy against so-called job hoppers, which appears to leave the fate of terminated helpers at the discretion of officers handling their cases.

AMCB's Sringatin says it's not a crime to look for a better employer

AMCB said it is obvious that Immigration and anti-migrant legislators and employers clamoring for sanctions against so-called job hoppers are out of touch with reality.

“Their accusations continue to burden many Hong Kong families who wish to hire an MDW who is already in Hong Kong so as to limit the risk of the (Covid-19 infection) and avoid the added expense of bringing in a worker from overseas,” said Balladares.

She urged Immigration to stop discriminating against MDWs and stop tagging them as job-hoppers and punishing them by denying employment visas. Instead, Immigration should investigate the inhumane conditions that many workers are forced to endure, she said.

Balladares also questioned why all other workers apart from FDWs are allowed to terminate contracts without getting any sanctions, and are not sent home if they quit their jobs and move to another employer.

“Why can’t MDWs have the same rights?” Balladares asked.

“We care for Hong Kong families but the Hong Kong government continues to refuse to care for us,” she said.

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One local, 5 imported new Covid-19 cases reported; 4 with variants

 By The SUN 

CHP chief Ronald Lam says 72% of all cases last week were imported

Six additional cases of coronavirus infections – one local and five imported - were reported in Hong Kong today, Mar 31.

But 10 preliminary positive cases were also reported, including two with unknown sources.

Of the five imported cases, three are Filipina domestic workers aged 29, 40 and 41, who all arrived on Mar 18 aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 572.

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The Filipinas all tested negative on arrival, but were found infected on their 12^th day in hotel quarantine. Further tests showed they also had the highly infectious coronavirus variant, identified as N501Y.

Another new arrival, a 53-year-old man who flew in from the United States also on Mar 18, was also found to carry the mutated virus.

The sole imported case that was declared free of the variant strain involved a 38-year-old female cargo plane crew who arrived from Turkey on Mar 29, and tested positive for Covid-19 at the airport.

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Dr Ronald Lam, deputy director of health, said that 72% of all infections reported in the past week were imported. Of the 57 cases that were confirmed, 41 were imported and 16 were local.

Those who came in with the N501Y variant have also risen, bringing the total tally to 145. Of these, 71 were identified as British, 20 South African, and 5 Brazilian variants. Thirty-seven of the cases are unidentified, while 12 couldn’t be determines due to the patients’ low viral load.

The building where the sole local case lives will be inspected

Today’s only local case involves a 25-year-old clerk at a property management company in Kowloon whose source of infection cannot be traced. His work involves inspecting buildings managed by his company.

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According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection, the patient tested negative for the virus only on Mar 17, when his residential building, Kwai Yick in Sai Ying Pun, was subjected to an ambush lockdown.

Chuang said the man might have been infected during or after the lockdown on his building, which will be inspected by health officials shortly.

Around 10 of his colleagues will be placed under quarantine, and compulsory testing notices will be issued on the buildings he visited for work.

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Among the preliminary cases, the two untraceable ones involve a 23-year-old ceiling renovation worker and a 56-year-old tea lady at Majestic restaurant on Fenwick Street in Wanchai.

Chuang said around 30 of the waitress’ colleagues will be quarantined, and the restaurant where she works will be closed for disinfection.

Dr Linda Yu of the Hospital Authority said Hong Kong now has a total of 11,468 confirmed cases of Covid-19 cases, of which 131 are receiving treatment in 21 public hospitals and the treatment centre at North Lantau Hospital.

Among them, nine patients are in critical condition, three are in serious condition while the remaining 119 are stable.

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Filipino chef gets suspended jail term for slapping 14-year-old boy

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The Morrison Hill park is a favorite among skateboard enthusiasts (Photo: Wanchai Worm)

A Filipino chef who admitted slapping a 14-year-old French boy during a dispute in a Wanchai playground was given a six-day jail term, suspended for one year, when he appeared in Eastern Court today, Mar 31. 

S. Bermejo was charged with one count of common assault for the incident that happened on Monday, Mar 29, in the Morrison Hill playground. 

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Court records show Bermejo, a Hong Kong resident, went to play on the skateboard ground in the park at around 6:25pm, but ended up getting into a dispute with the victim over a trivial matter.

In the heat of the argument, Bemejo slapped the boy with his bare hands, hurting his nose. Scared, the boy dialed 999 and reported the incident. He also called his parents.

When police arrived, they saw Bermejo, the boy and his parents at the playground. They took the boy to nearby Ruttonjee Hospital for a medical check-up, where doctors found he had swelling and tenderness in the nose.

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Bermejo was arrested and he admitted the offense during questioning at the Wanchai Police Station. The next day, he again admitted the assault in a statement taken with the help of a Tagalog interpreter.

The prosecutor said Bermejo had two previous convictions not similar to the present case.

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During mitigation, the duty lawyer representing Bermejo said the defendant was was working part-time as a chef earning $5,000 a month. He asked the magistrate impose a fine instead of a jail sentence. 

But Law said that after taking into account the defendant’s guilty plea, his previous records, and the boy’s age, a jail term was appropriate, though he decided to suspend it for 12 months.

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That means Bermejo cannot reoffend within this time or he will have to go to jail immediately to serve his sentence, plus whatever is meted him for the later offence. 

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Expert panel says not a single death traced to Covid-19 vaccine

By The SUN 

Covid-19 vaccines did not cause any of the 13 deaths reported so far, says the panel

A panel of experts advising the Hong Kong government on Covid-19 vaccination has found no connection between the deaths of 13 people and their having been given jabs earlier, according to a statement released tonight, Mar 30, on the government website.

According to the statement, a total of 13 people who died after immunization were reported to the Department of Health up until Mar 28. They comprised nine males and four females, between 55 and 80 years old.

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“Existing information indicates that most of these cases died of cardiovascular diseases,” said the statement.

The Expert Committee reportedly made its assessment on individual cases based on standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and all available information, including the medical conditions and history of the patient, vaccine information and preliminary autopsy findings.

The committee also took note of the mortality data in Hong Kong among people of similar age and health condition for the same period in previous years, before determining that there was nothing unusual in the number of deaths that occurred as a result of vaccination.

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Earlier, the experts issued two separate reports that discounted vaccination as the cause of death in seven earlier cases.

“The medical history and preliminary autopsy findings of other cases showed that the outcomes of the deceased persons were not directly associated with Covid-19 vaccination,” said the statement, but added that a final assessment will be made when all information becomes available.

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In their latest report, the experts dealt with the six most recent deaths. 

The first case involved a 55-year-old woman who passed away on Mar 6. The full autopsy report on the case reportedly showed she died of “acute myocardial infarction” (stroke). Their investigation did not find any link to this medical condition and her previous vaccination.

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In four other cases involving men aged between 59 to 66 years old, the preliminary autopsy also showed the cause of deaths as relating to heart problems, such as “coronary artery disease, ruptured myocardial infarction and coronary thrombosis, coronary and hypertensive heart disease, as well as coronary artery disease with acute ischaemia.”

The sixth case, a 61-year-old man who died on Mar 27 in hospital, also had the cause of his death listed as stroke.

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“Together with the remaining case who died of acute myocardial infarction, the Expert Committee considered that the outcomes of the deceased persons were not directly associated with Covid-19 vaccination,” said the statement.

The experts also base their study on how many people died in same period

According to the statement, the expert committee also relied on the city’s mortality rate in the same period (that is, from Feb 26 to Mar 20) of 2019 among people aged 55 and above, and found it consistent with the data this year. In that year, a total of 362 deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases and 602 for heart diseases were recorded.

“The Expert Committee reviewed these data and considered there is no unusual pattern identified so far,” said the statement. “The Expert Committee will continue to closely monitor the situation and collect more data for further assessment."

Any adverse events that follow vaccination are reported to the DH which carries out the initial investigation along with partners under the Covid-19 Vaccines Adverse Events Response and Evaluation (Care) Programme. If an unusual pattern is detected, the case is passed on to the Experts Committee for assessment.

However, the statement said that when there are obvious medical causes for clinical events including deaths, health care professionals may consider the case as not falling under the scrutiny of the expert panel. 

The rules also say that if death happens within 14 days of vaccination being received, it will be announced via a press release as soon as possible.

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Free Covid-19 tests for FDHs on again in April

By The SUN 

The free test on wheels will now be given at four locations on Apr 4,5,11,18 and 25

Mobile stations offering free coronavirus tests will return to popular gathering places of foreign domestic helpers on all Sundays of April, plus the statutory holiday on Apr 5, to give workers free Covid-19 testing, the Labour Department said.
      
A statement issued on the government website said the deployment of the mobile stations, which are similar to those set up in March at popular FDH gathering places, is meant to encourage workers to get tested to safeguard their health.

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The announcement said the mobile specimen collection stations will open from 10am to 5pm on April 4, 5 (day after the Ching Ming Festival), 11, 18 and 25.

From the previous three, four mobile stations will now be set up at the following locations: the Chater Road precinct in Central, near the bus stop; Hing Fat street entrance of Victoria Park in Causeway Bay; Lai Chi Kok Park entrance near exit D of Mei Foo MTR station; and the Tsuen Wan Park entrance near Exit D of MTR Tsuen Wan West Station.

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The government statement appealed to employment agencies and employers to encourage FDHs to receive the free testing service at the mobile stations, where no prior appointment is required. 

FDHs need only to bring their HKIDs or passports; no appointment needed

To avail themselves of the free testing, the FDHs just need to bring along their Hong Kong identity cards or passports and register their personal information on the spot at the government website www.tgptest.gov.hk, choosing the the category “Non-Government Staff - Foreign domestic helpers,” to receive an SMS notification of the test result.

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The FDHs will be given the barcode number of the specimen bottle they collect after registration for reference. If necessary, duty officers can assist FDHs in registration.    

The specimen collection is done through a combined nasal and throat swabs, and the samples collected are delivered straight to a specimens to the laboratory for testing. 

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Everyone who tests negative for Covid-19 will get their test result via SMS while positive cases will be referred to the Centre for Health Protection for follow-up. The individual concerned will be contacted for treatment arrangements.      

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Enquiries can be made through the dedicated FDH hotline at 2157 9537 (manned by 1823) or by email fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk. 

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