Quarantine shortened to 14 days but flight ban on 8 countries stay

 By The SUN 

CE Lam says the decision to cut the quarantine period is based on science

In a major policy shift, the Hong Kong government has announced that its 21-day quarantine for arriving travelers from abroad will be cut to 14 days starting on Feb 5 but they must remain under medical observation for seven more days.

The change was announced by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in an unannounced press conference late this afternoon, Jan. 27.

CE Lam said the decision to cut the quarantine period is “not because of pressure from anyone but because of science.”

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She said according to government experts, the incubation period for the Omicron variant which is fueling a surge in Covid-19 is between four to five days, “so it will look very illogical for us to continue putting new arrivals on 21-day quarantine.”

Currently, Hong Kong residents returning from 147 countries are required to undergo 21 days of quarantine at designated hotels. A handful of countries are categorized as medium risk, for which the required quarantine period is 14 days. 

Under the new guidelines, all overseas countries will now be classified under Group A. Thus, no non-resident will be allowed to board a flight for Hong Kong, and they must be fully vaccinated and hold a recognized vaccination record.

The CE also said that flights from eight major countries including the Philippines will be extended for another two weeks to Feb. 18. Also included in the ban are Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, Britain and the United States.

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The CE also said that because of large-scale outbreaks in the community, the government could not relax, even fine-tune social distancing measures.

The Centre for Health Protection earlier reported a record 164 new Covid-19 infections, 116 of them local, including 12 with unknown sources.

Thus, all restrictions including the no dine-in at restaurants after 6pm and the closure of most entertainment venues will be extended for two weeks or until Feb 17. Face-to-face classes will remain suspended until Feb 21.

Ban on public gatherings of more than 4 people is extended until Feb 17 

Mrs Lam also said that the listed premises under Cap599F will be expanded from Feb 24, so more venues will be included in the “vaccine bubble” which will allow entry only to vaccinated people.

But she assured those who are not fully vaccinated will be given ample time to comply with the requirement under the vaccine bubble arrangement.

“There are many invisible transmissions in the community and we have raced to cut down these links,” she said. “That’s why we have resorted to quick and tough measures.”

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Asked if her decision to shorten quarantine was due to pressure from the business community, she said, “Of course not, because they want seven days or no quarantine.”

For Hong Kong, she said this is dangerous because of the low vaccination rate among elderly people. In care homes for the elderly and the disabled, she said the vaccination rate is just 30%.

She again appealed to the elderly to get vaccinated, saying she did not want to put them at risk by further relaxing social distancing measures.

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Mrs Lam also pointed out that the reason all 600 plus Covid-19 patients who are in hospital are in stable condition is because almost all are fully vaccinated.

During the upcoming Lunar New Year, she said the government will make a general mobilisation to get as many people tested for Covid-19 as possible.

She called on retired civil servants to help in the effort to increase the daily testing capacity, which she hope to raise to 100,000 or more within one to two weeks.

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Earlier, Health Secretary Sophia Chan hinted at the shortened quarantine period during a TV interview, saying that Omicron’s short incubation period was being reviewed.

Apart from the shortened quarantine, she said that if Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre got filled up, home quarantine for close contacts could be considered, However, there should first be a risk assessment of each case, and support operations such as food supplies must be worked out.

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2 more hotels designated for FDH quarantine

iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel (Google Maps photo0

Two more hotels have been named as designated quarantine facilities (DQFs) for  incoming foreign domestic helpers (FDHs)  who were not vaccinated in Hong Kong, the Labour Department (LD) announced today.

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O'Hotel (www.ohotel.hk/en-hk) and iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel (www.regalhotel.com/regal-hotels-international/en/promotions/DQF-foreign-domestic-helpers.html) will start accepting bookings through their websites from February 6 and March 1, at daily rates of $650 and $750, which include three meals a day.

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Their 491 rooms will bring to 2,779 the number of rooms available for FDH quarantine. The other hotels that accept new FDHs are Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong in Shatin, Regala SkyCity Hotel in Tung Chung, and Rambler Garden Hotel in Tsing Yi. 

Only FDHs who have confirmed bookings in a DQF will be allowed to board a flight for Hong Kong and enter Hong Kong upon arrival, it added.

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Under the rules, payment will be refunded to the person who made the booking if an FDH tested positive for COVID-19 before arrival in Hong Kong, if the flight is cancelled by the airline, or a lockdown is ordered in the place of origin, provided that supporting documents are submitted in advance.

The Department also said more hotels may be designated as quarantine facilities for FDHs, depending on the need.

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"The Government understands the need of local families for FDHs. However, the local epidemic situation is evolving rapidly, and the Government must vigilantly uphold the policy of guarding against importation of cases," said the announcement.

"The Government will consider whether more DQFs can be provided having regard to the global and local epidemic situation. The hotels will adjust the number of rooms open for reservation each day having regard to the overall booking situation."

The dedicated FDH Portal (www.fdh.labour.gov.hk) set up by the LD provides information and useful links relating to the quarantine arrangements of FDHs. For enquiries, please contact the LD through its 24-hour hotline at 2717 1771 (manned by 1823) or by email to fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk.

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The news, however, is of little use for FDHs from the Philippines which was included among eight countries from where passenger flights have been banned. The flight ban was initially set for Jan 8 to 21, but has since been extended twice. 

Today, in a press conference, Lam again extended the flight ban another two weeks, to Feb. 18.

Also still banned are passenger flights from Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, Britain, and the United States. 

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HK donates $3.9M more to typhoon victims in Phl

 By The SUN

 

Wreckage in Siargao, where Typhoon Odette made its first landfall last month

The Hong Kong government has approved the release of $3.886 million (Php25.25 million) from its Disaster Relief Fund to World Vision Hong Kong for providing relief to typhoon victims in the Philippines.

According to an announcement issued Wednesday, the money will be used to provide food packs, hygiene kits and household kits to benefit around 25,370 typhoon victims. It said eight million people were affected by typhoons in the Philippines, last year.

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The donation is on top of  the $540,000 (Php3.5 million) grant from Disaster Relief to Amity Foundation for providing relief to victims of typhoon Odette (international name Rae) which swept across central and southern Philippines, leaving about 500 people dead or missing in its wake.

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At about the same time last year, Hong Kong also disbursed a total of $9.7 million from the Disaster Relief Fund for four charities that undertake relief operation in the Philippines. These were Oxfam Hong Kong which got $2.614 million, Plan International Hong Kong, $1.951 million, Hong Kong Red Cross, $1.825 million, and Save the Children Hong Kong, $3.31 million.

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The statement said the Disaster Relief Fund Committee hoped the grant would help provide timely relief to victims and help restore their normal lives.

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So far this year, Hong Kong has extended a total of $4.426 million (Php28.77million) in grants for some 34,370 typhoon victims in the Philippines.

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Since the target areas of relief agencies are different, there will be no overlapping of resources, said the statement.

World Vision Hong Kong is required to submit an evaluation report and an audited account on the use of the grant after completing the relief project.

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Employer, FDH end 6-month dispute with $9,000 payout

 By The SUN

At issue before the Tribunal was who terminated the employment contract

A six-month-old labor case  between an employer and her Filipina domestic helper, which began as an argument over a missing bottle of spice, ended today with a settlement they signed before the Labour Tribunal.

Under the settlement, Gina de Leon received $9,000 as final payment for all claims she filed against her former employer, Poon Man Ka.

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Presiding Officer Timon Shum brought the two sides to a settlement despite their failure to resolve what he described as the “hot issue”-- the employer insisting that her helper quit her job and de Leon insisting she was terminated.

Shum explained that the employer had agreed to pay a total of $8,549 for de Leon’s claims for unpaid wages, one month’s pay in lieu of notice, annual leave, food and travel allowance for her return home, and the cost of air ticket home.

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But Poon objected to de Leon’s claim of $16,000 for long service pay for having been terminated after she worked  for five years, or severance pay which Hong Kong laws require to be paid if an employee who has worked for at least 24 months, is terminated due to redundancy.

She insisted that de Leon resigned and was not terminated, and therefore was not entitled to these payments. The latter insisted she was terminated, and should be entitled to them. Shum pointed out that there was no strong evidence to prove either claim.

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Shum said such a disagreement, which he has seen in many other cases in the past, could lead to the case being referred to the court. However, he added, the earliest this case can be scheduled for hearing would be in September and the case could take months.

After such long wait, the decision can go either way --  an additional $16,000 payment to De Leon or a deduction of $4,630, or one month’s wage in lieu of notice, from the amount her employer had already agreed to pay.

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Turning to Poon, Shum suggested damage control, where both sides could reach an agreement, so as to save on time and anger by saying goodbye to each other in peace.

He suggested that Poon pay $8,000, or half of de Leon’s unresolved claims, in recognition of their five years of working together. But Poon rejected the suggestion.

He lowered his suggestion to $10,000 for everything – or an extra payment of $1,451 – but Poon again rejected it.

Turning to de Leon, Shum asked if she could consider a settlement. She answered, “After six months, I have no work yet. I plan to return home. I am here because of this case.” She added that even if she felt that it was unfair, she was leaving the matter to Shum.

This made Shum turn again to Poon, saying, “Would you consider giving her $9,000?”

The last figure, which brought down de Leon’s unresolved claim for $16,000 to $451, got immediate approval from Poon. The two signed the settlement after Poon paid $9,000 in cash to de Leon. 

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107 new Covid-19 cases reported, mostly local

By The SUN 

58 more cases were found among residents of Kwai Chung Estate,
where 3 blocks remain locked down

A total of 107 Covid-19 cases were reported today, Jan. 26, with all but seven of them locally acquired.

According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection, a total of 130 preliminary positive cases were also reported as of 4pm today.

Despite this, she said the infection rate seems to have already peaked, and there is hope that the number of cases will soon go down.

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Of the 100 local cases, 93 are linked while seven are unlinked, meaning the sources of infection are unknown.

A big number of the preliminary cases are imported, and include 20 from flight RA 409 which arrived from Kathmandu, Nepal and another 20 from an Emirates flight which came from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through Bangkok, Thailand, both on Jan 25.

Today’s confirmed cases included 58 that came from various housing blocks in Kwai Chung Estates. The total number of infections there has now gone up to 334, mostly from Kat Kwai House, where the outbreak started.

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Several clusters of cases have also been detected, including the one at the Manning’s warehouse in Kwai Chung, where a total of four cases have now been recorded, including one from today.

The number of positive and preliminary positive cases at a security agency in Tsuen Wan has also gone up to five today. This cluster began when a guard who lives at Yat Kwai House infected some of his colleagues.

An outbreak of the Delta variant continues to grow at Choi Wan 1 Estate, where a security guard tested positive today, following the infection of two residents there.

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The relatives of the security guard often goes to a Wong Tai Sin restaurant for yum cha, raising the possibility that they had picked up the virus from a previously infected person who often used the toilet there.

A Delta cluster at Tropicana Gardens in Wong Tai Sin also grew, with a resident in block F testing positive. Dr Chuang said all those living in flats F on the 6^th to 8^th floor will be quarantined at Penny’s Bay.

Previously, three residents living in E flats were found infected, and all other residents in the block were also quarantined amid fears of vertical transmission.

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Dr Chuang said there is suspicion that the ventilation shaft may have caused contaminated air to flow from the E to the F block.

Another growing cluster involves a group of young footballers who played at the podium of Coastal Skyline in Tung Chung. At least five infected people, including a student at King George V school, had been to “The Circle” for some activities.

40 preliminary positive cases came from 2 flights that arrived Tuesday

The seven untraceable cases included the following: 

1)  A 40-year-old man who lives in a village in Ma On Shan; 

2)   A 26-year-old man who lives in Tung Chung and works as an occupational therapist and lives in Tsuen Wan; 

3)    A 47-year-old man who lives next to a construction site on Victory Avenue, where many workers have previously tested positive. He often passed by the site on his way to work in North Point. 

4)   A 67-year-old woman who cleans staff toilets at Hong Kong airport and lives in Tsing Yi. 

5)          An airport security guard who lives in Tai Wo Hau Estate; 

6)      A 32-year-old man who works as a security guard at Tai Koo Shing, and  

7)      A 72-year-old female retiree who lives in Tai Wo Hau Estate and often visited supermarkets and wet markets.

As of 9am today, 32 people were discharged from public hospitals, while a total of 578 are still confined and being treated.

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P200k regalo na mula sa puso

Ni Daisy CL Mandap 

Ilang banig na perang tig P500 ang iniregalo ni Gigi sa kasal ng kapatid niyang si Dioralyn 

Wala na sigurong hihigit pa sa ipinakitang pagmamahal kamakailan ni Joramae  “Gigi” Estacio, isang domestic helper sa Hong Kong, sa kanyang nakatatandang kapatid na si Dioralyn.

Nang ikasal ang ate niya sa nobyong si Julan Escarpe nito lang Jan 8 sa kanilang bayan sa Calatrava, Negros Occidental ay sinorpresa ni Gigi ang dalawa sa kanyang mga bonggang regalo: mga tig-Php500 na inilagay sa money cape, money cake, money lechon at money crown.

Sa kabuuan, ang perang nakapaloob sa lahat ng mga ito ay nagkakalaga ng Php200,000!

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Bakit niya binigyan ng ganoong kalaking halaga ang kanyang ate, at paano niya ito naipon gayong tatlong taon pa lang syang nagtatrabaho bilang domestic worker sa Hong Kong?

Sa maluha-luhang tinig ay sinabi ni Gigi, 30 taong gulang, na inipon niya ang pera mula sa kanyang sahod sa loob ng nagdaang isa’t kalahating taon.

“Gusto ko pong gumaang naman ang kanyang buhay dahil ang tagal niyang nagsakripisyo para sa aming pamilya,” sabi ni Gigi. “Kaya nga umabot siya sa edad na 35 bago nag-asawa ay dahil inuna niya muna niyang tinulungan ang aming pamilya.”

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Sabi pa niya, “Gusto ko din po ipakita sa mga nang-aapi sa amin noon dahil sa sobrang hirap namin na kaya na naming mabuhay nang mas maayos ngayon.”

Ayon kay Gigi, lagi siyang ginagabayan ni Dioralyn na unang nakipagsapalaran sa Maynila sa edad na 19 taong gulang. Noong matapos daw si Gigi ng high school ay isinama daw siya ng kanyang ate sa Maynila para magtrabaho bilang kasambahay.

Hindi tumagal ay nagpunta si Dioralyn sa Malaysia, at muli ay pinasunod siya doon. Nang lumipat ito sa Hong Kong ay naghanap muli ito ng trabaho para kay Gigi para magkasama silang muli.

“Sobrang mahal ko po ang aking ate,” sabi ni Gigi, na bunso sa apat na magkakapatid. “Kaya gusto kong suklian ang lahat ng ginawa niya para sa akin.”

Si Gigi habang nire-record ang espesyal na mensahe niya sa bagong kasal

Sa maniwala’t hindi ang mga tao ay hindi daw sila nag-aaway magkakapatid, at hindi rin humihingi ng pera o anumang pabor sa isa’t isa. Pati yung dalawang kapatid nilang lalaki na nasa Pilipinas at may mga asawa na ay hindi rin umaasa ng tulong sa kanilang mga magulang o sa kanilang dalawa.

Katulad ng kanyang ate na dati ring nagtrabaho sa Hong Kong at umuwi noon lang Setyembre ng nakaraang taon ay sobrang pagtitipid daw ang ginawa niya para makaipon.

Sa katunayan ay umabot na daw sa mahigit Php400,000 ang naitatabi niya dahil hindi siya halos gumagastos kahit day-off niya. Noong nandito pa ang kanyang ate ay lagi lang silang namamasyal sa tabing dagat at kumakain ng instant noodle o sardinas.

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“Sa buhay probinsiya po namin dati ay malaking bagay na yung nakakakain kami ng mga ganito,” simpleng paliwanag ni Gigi.

Hindi rin uso sa kanilang magkapatid ang mangutang o gumastos para sa mga marangyang damit o gamit kaya halos lahat ng kanilang kinikita ay naitatabi nila sa sariling pangangailangan.

Lubos din niyang pinagmamalaki ang kanilang mga magulang na sa sobrang sipag sa pagsasaka ay kumikita ng sarili nilang pera at ni minsan ay hindi nanghingi sa kanila.

“Ang pera ninyo ay ipunin muna ninyo para may panggastos kayo kung kailangan,” ito raw ang laging sabi ng kanilang mga magulang sa kanila.

Nag viral sa Pilipinas ang mga litratong kuha sa kasal ni Dioralyn

Ang isa pa daw laging sinasabi ng kanilang ama ay matuto silang dumiskarte sa buhay para kahit hindi sila nakatapos sa kolehiyo ay aasenso ang kanilang buhay.

Sa kabila nito ay nag-isip daw silang magkapatid ng paraan para mas gumaan ng kaunti ang pagtatrabaho ng kanilang mga magulang sa kanilang tubuhan. Bago umuwi si Dioralyn ay nagtulong sila para makapadala ng Php260,000 para ipambili ng truck na magagamit ng mga magulang sa bukid.

Noon nagka ideya si Gigi na sorpresahin din ang kanyang ate sa nalalapit nitong pagpapakasal. Unti-unti siyang nagpadala ng pera sa isang kaibigang guro na gumagawa ng mga nauuso ngayong money cake para ipunin bago sumapit ang importanteng okasyon.

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Pero hindi lang basta-basta cake ang nasa isip ni Gigi, kundi isang apat na patong na cake na ang loob ay puno ng tig-Php500. Nagpagawa din siya ng litson kung saan dapat ang dila at buntot ay hihilahin ng mag-asawa para lumabas ang mga perang papel sa loob, at pati na ng korona at kapa para sa kanyang ate na gawa lahat sa pera.

Tagumpay naman ang lahat ng kaniyang ginawang pagpaplano dahil nasorpresa nang husto ang kanyang ate. Ang tanging nasambit lang nito nang makita ang napakalaking halaga na ibinigay ng kanilang bunso ay, “It’s good to be good to your sister dahil babalikan ka ng blessing.”

Payak ngunit masaya ang kinalakhang buhay nina Gigi sa probinsya

Sapat na ang nakita niyang kaligayahan sa mukha ng kanyang ate para sumaya din si Gigi, na ang susunod namang pinagpaplanuhang pasayahin ay ang mga pinakamamahal niyang mga magulang.

“Ayaw ko pong pagsisihan balang araw na hindi ko ginawa ang dapat para mapasaya sila,” ang simple niyang paliwanag.

Alam ni Gigi na babalik din siya sa piling ng kanyang mahal na pamilya balang araw, at gusto niya na sa pagdating ng panahon na iyon ay mas maunlad na ang kanilang buhay, pero mananatiling tahimik at masaya. 

Hinding hindi daw mababago ng Hong Kong ang payak ngunit masayang buhay na ipinamulat sa kanila ng kanilang mga magulang.

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