Musicians on relief drive get caught in compulsory testing

 By Daisy CL Mandap 

Volunteer musicians help pack and distribute relief goods sourced by MJM 

A group of Filipino musicians packing and distributing relief goods for colleagues hard-hit by the pandemic got caught in a mandatory testing order for residents and guests of Mirador Mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui, issued on Saturday, Feb 12.

This was after a 42-year-old woman on recognizance residing in the building, where a unit owned by the Hong Kong Musicians Union is located, was confirmed to have Covid-19 that same day.

In line with the government’s stepped-up infection control measures, that single case automatically made everyone who had stayed for at least two hours in Mirador Mansion two weeks prior, or from Jan 30 to Feb 12, fall under the compulsory testing order.

Among those covered by the order were several musician-volunteers who distributed relief packs that same day to colleagues who had been left mostly jobless by the recurring ban on live music in Hong Kong. Days earlier they were also at the HKMU office in the building, packing the food aid.

The donated food items were coursed through MJM, which stands for Maricel Bedana, Jennifer Palor-Fernandes and Marlyn Ayson-Hazelton, who formed a community of volunteers conducting food drive and raising funds for their fellow musicians in need.

Palor-Fernandes said the food distribution was the fourth to be carried out by MJM and fellow volunteers, who have so far extended help to around 300 mostly Filipino musicians. 

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The donation drive which started on Jan 25, was initially aimed at helping a group of young band members living in Wanchai, many of whom were stricken down by the coronavirus between March and April last year.

The band members have been mostly without work since. Although they are still allowed to live in the company-leased flat, they are provided with only a meal each day.

Dynamic trio of Bedana, Fernandez and Hazelton is behind the relief effort

After MJM started a food drive for them, many more donors have reportedly stepped forward to help, so other out-of-job musicians, including those with permanency residency, have been given help.

Palor-Fernandes said everyone who had been to Mirador for their relief effort has either undergone testing, or will do so in the next few days. All those covered by the testing order have until Tuesday, Feb 16, to comply. 

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Among those who went for a test was HKMU chairperson Manuela Lo, who had been in and out of Mirador during the indicated period, doing work for the Union and overseeing rehearsals for a fund-raising project for musicians sidelined by the pandemic restrictions.

“I’ve already informed everyone to take the test, I just did mine this morning…waiting for the result,” said Lo on Saturday, Feb 13.

She added no one lives in the HKMU unit in the building. 

Lo (center) with POLO officers led by Labour Attache Mel Dizon (left)

Earlier, HKMU conducted a separate relief effort for non-resident musicians with help from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The band members living in Wanchai were also among the beneficiaries. Lo said the musicians who came here as contract workers, have largely been on a “no work, no pay” situation since Covid-19 swept across bars in Hong Kong and Kowloon early last year.

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After the Lunar New Year holidays, the government is expected to reopen venues that had been shut since mid-December, after the number of coronavirus cases in the city shot up to record numbers.

But that gives little comfort to Lo and her fellow musicians, as bars, which are always the first to be shut, are again the last to be reopened when the restrictions are eased.

Since the restaurant dine-in house will only be extended up to 10pm from the current 6pm, bars and other venues where musicians are part of the staple fare, could remain grounded. And even if the bars are reopened, the question of when live music would be brought back is another matter. 

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The fund-raising campaign, which kicks off at the end of the month, is meant to continue extending help to jobless musicians.

“This February 27 and 28 we are organizing an online fundraiser for musicians in need and they will be aired through the HKMU Facebook page, YouTube Channel, and supporting media outlets. The event will run for at least six months, in a series of episode, until our musicians, artists and entertainers can work again,” said Lo in a solicitation letter.

The government has issued the following advisory for those who are subject to compulsory Covid-19 tests:

The Government will set up mobile specimen collection stations at Shek Ku Lung Road Playground in Wong Tai Sin and Kwong Fuk Estate in Tai Po on Feb 13. The service period of the mobile specimen collection stations at Kwun Chung Sports Centre in Jordan and MacPherson Playground in Mong Kok will be extended to Feb 16 (Tuesday).

Apart from mobile specimen collection stations, persons subject to compulsory testing can also choose to attend any of the community testing centres in all districts to receive testing free of charge.
Persons subject to compulsory testing may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:
1. To visit any of the mobile specimen collection stations (see the list and target groups (if applicable) at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) for testing;
2. To attend any of the community testing centres (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/);
3. To obtain a deep throat saliva specimen collection pack from any of the 121 post offices, vending machines set up at 20 MTR stations or 47 designated general outpatient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority and return the specimen to one of the designated specimen collection points (see the distribution points and times, and the specimen collection points and times, at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
4. To undergo testing at any of the GOPCs of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical professional of the Hospital Authority;
5. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the Department of Health (DH) and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf);or
6. To use a specimen bottle distributed to the relevant specified premises by the Centre for Health Protection (if applicable), and return the specimen bottle with the sample collected as per relevant guidelines. 

A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau cautioned that testing received at accident and emergency departments of the Hospital Authority or during hospital stays, or testing provided by private laboratories which cannot issue SMS notifications in respect of test results, does not comply with the requirements of the aforementioned compulsory testing notice.
     "If persons subject to compulsory testing have symptoms, they should seek medical attention immediately and undergo testing as instructed by a medical professional. They should not attend the mobile specimen collection stations or the community testing centres."
Persons subject to compulsory testing must keep the SMS notification containing result of the test for checking by a law enforcement officer when the officer requires the persons to provide information about their undergoing the specified test.
Furthermore, persons subject to testing under the compulsory testing notices should, as far as reasonably practicable, take appropriate personal disease prevention measures including wearing a mask and maintaining hand hygiene, and, unless for the purpose of undergoing the specified test, stay at their place of residence and avoid going out until the test result is ascertained as far as possible.
Any enquiries on compulsory testing arrangements may be addressed to the hotline at 6275 6901, which operates daily from 9am to 6pm. If persons subject to compulsory testing plan to conduct testing at any of the community testing centres, they can check the centre's appointment status in advance. The hotlines of the community testing centres are available at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/info/.
The Government will continue to trace possibly infected persons who had been to the relevant premises, and seriously verify whether they had complied with the testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.   

Relevant officers of different government departments are empowered to perform certain functions under the relevant Regulations under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), including requesting individuals to provide information and assistance when necessary. Any person who fails to comply with the relevant request commits an offence and would be liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000). Collection and use of any personal data for conducting COVID-19 tests must meet the requirements under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). Government departments or testing service providers which handle the relevant information may provide the data to DH or other relevant departments for anti-epidemic purpose as necessary. The workflow does not involve the provision of any personal data to organisations or persons outside Hong Kong.
The spokesman said, "The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health conditions, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons."

HK musicians celebrate return of live music

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Bands will be back in bars starting Friday

Christmas came early this year for many musicians in Hong Kong. This is because after nearly seven months of being sidelined by pandemic fears, the city’s musicians will be back to on stage starting this Friday, Oct 30.

“Feeling awesome! ”, said an ecstatic Manuela D. Lo, chairman of the Hong Kong Musicians Union, shortly after Secretary for Food and Health  Dr. Sophia Chan announced the good news.

“All musicians can have a blessed Christmas (because of this),” Lo added.

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In her much-anticipated announcement, Dr. Chan said: “Live performances and dancing activities will be allowed to take place in catering businesses subject to the implementation of suitable infection control measures.”

The health chief also said that restaurants will now be allowed up to six people per table, while bars and nightclubs can seat a maximum of four people, from the present two.

Dr Chan at a news conference to announce the relaxed rules

In addition, the catering businesses will be allowed to operate up to 75 percent capacity, up from the current 50 percent, and extend their opening hours from midnight till 2am.

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Other leisure and sports facilities like theme parks, swimming pools and performance venues will also be allowed to admit people up to 75 percent of their capacity.

But the government decided to stick to the rule allowing no more than four people to gather in public, saying the plan is for a “gradual and targeted” relaxation of distancing measures.

Dr Chan made her announcement as no new local infection was again reported today, Oct 27. All five new Covid-19 cases involved people returning from overseas, four of them from India, and one from France.

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All eight new cases reported yesterday were also all imported, while on previous days, there was often only one locally acquired case detected, a sure sign that the current wave of infection has eased.

But in a separate address today, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced she was pressing with an inquiry into the legality of making Covid-19 tests mandatory, in the wake of warnings from health experts that a deadlier fourth wave could occur this winter.

Dr Chan explained, “generally speaking, we urge the public not to gather (still). This is important).

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But for musicians, worries over the heightened restrictions are trumped by their joy at being able to go back to work and play music once more.

An HKMU member who was part of a small group Lo created to lobby support for the long-standing call of musicians for live performances to resume, said that all bands will be celebrating on Friday.

“No more karaokes,” he joked, and no more cat and mouse games with the police, which had been zealously checking on bars to ensure the government’s social distancing protocols were followed.

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Lo and her group of advisers had previously held talks with Tommy Cheung, catering sector in the Legislative Council, who later set up a meeting for them with top health officials.

During the talks, the HKMU stressed that the musicians were willing to propose their own safety measures, like singing with masks on, bringing their own microphones and not interacting with patrons during their performances, just to start working again.

Bars across Hong Kong were first closed on Apr 3 this year, after the coronavirus spread across four nightspots in Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui, leaving more than 20 musicians infected, and about 50 others in quarantine.

The bars were allowed to reopen briefly in July, but were promptly shut again after a third and deadlier wave swept across the city.

On Sept 18, bars were allowed to resume business, but with no live shows still.

Lo says the resumption of live music is an early Christmas gift to musicians

In a letter Lo sent to Cheung on Oct 1 asking for help, she said an estimated 1,000 musicians had been left jobless for nearly seven months by the bar closures.

She said “we have been unfairly shown to be the carriers of the virus, when we were in fact, victims,” referring to health data showing that bar patrons were the first to show signs of the disease, indicating they had infected the musicians.

“And yet, we are the ones who have suffered the most from that incident. Bars and pubs are always among the last to reopen when the government starts relaxing social distancing measures, and even when they are allowed to do business again, very strict regulations are put in place, including a ban on live shows.”

Now that she and her fellow musicians will soon be back at work, Lo has only one more wish, and that is, for them to continue performing in the months and years ahead. “Hopefully, continuous na,” she said.

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Musicians plead with health officials: ‘Let us go back to work’

By Daisy CL Mandap

HKMU led by Lo (middle, with glasses) poses for pictures
with Chui (3rd from left), Cheung and Chan after the meeting

Hong Kong musicians have made an impassioned appeal to health officials to let them go back to work by allowing bars and other entertainment venues to resume live performances as soon as possible.

The plea was made by officers of the Hong Kong Musicians Union, led by its chairperson Manuela D. Lo, during a meeting on Sept 29 with Deputy Health Secretary Howard Chan and Undersecretary for Food and Health Dr Chui Tak-yi.

The meeting was arranged by Legislative Council member Tommy Cheung, who represents the catering sector, and has been helping HKMU advance its cause.

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“Hear us, help us,” said an emotional Lo, as she told the officials how most of the 1,000 or so professional musicians in Hong Kong have been out of jobs since the bars were first shut on Apr 3.

Others became jobless even earlier, when the virus spread across four bars in key districts in late March, leaving more than 20 band members infected and about 50 others confined in quarantine centers.

She said many of the jobless musicians have been doing odd jobs like working for cargo companies, just to make ends meet. But others who are not permanent residents are not allowed to moonlight under their visa conditions.

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The bars were reopened on Jun 19, but were promptly closed down again when the third wave of infections swept across Hong Kong in early July. 

Lo said the tales of woes from the musicians have been heartbreaking, adding, almost in tears: “If you could give back their jobs, that would be great.”

While bars and other night spots were allowed to reopen starting on Sept 18, they are made to operate under very strict conditions. Everyone should wear a mask unless eating or drinking, and no more than two people can sit at each table, which should be kept 1.5 meters away from the next.

Bars were allowed to reopen last month, but without the live shows

Worse, especially for the musicians, is that the bars are still forbidden from having live performances, even if larger venues such as theaters and exhibition halls have been given the green light to stage shows before a live audience.

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Dr Chui replied that the government understood the difficulties faced by various sectors like the musicians, but it is now being more cautious in lifting restrictions, having learned its lesson from the recent outbreak that saw the number of infected persons rising to three digits per day.

He also noted that from just 7 deaths before the third wave of infections started in early July, there are now more than 100 casualties, which meant more than 90 patients had passed on in less than three months.

Chan assured the group that what the government wants is to ensure the safety of everyone, especially since another outbreak could come at the onset of winter.

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“All we want is to protect your health and the others, too,” he said.

He also raised concern about the spread of the virus among musicians staying in one dormitory in the second wave of infections, but was told that this was because they were imported workers, and hired by just one company that made them perform in the various bars where the disease spread.

Insomnia in Lan Kwai Fong was the first to close after the virus swept through bars

The health officials were also reminded that the infection in the bars appeared to have started not with the musicians, but with patrons, some of whom appeared to have brought back the virus from overseas.

Cheung assured the officials that the musicians were willing to undertake self-regulation to protect themselves and the community, and also convince the authorities to allow them to get back to work.

Among the measures they proposed were the following: (1) masks should be worn at all times inside the bars, even during performances; (2) all musicians must bring their own microphones and sterilize their own instruments; (3) no mingling with the guests; and (4) no bar-hopping, meaning performers will stick to one venue.

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At the same time, Cheung being a bar owner himself, said their sector could undertake to put up acrylic shields between the musicians and the audience to further lessen the chance of aerosol transmissions during a performance. 

He also suggested that wind instruments like saxophones and trumpets be not included in the repertoire for the same reason.

Tsui and Chan asked the musicians to list down all their proposals so the government can go over them and decide in the next week or two on whether they can be acted upon, as long as the situation continues to stabilize.

HKMU immediately took up the suggestion, and has already started a campaign to get their petition signed by as many musicians as possible over the holidays. The statement will then be sent to Cheung for endorsement to concerned government officials.

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Musicians urge live performances to resume as officials mull bar reopening

By Daisy CL Mandap

HKMU officers & advisers led by Lo (in green shirt) met with Cheung to air their concerns 

Musicians are calling for the resumption of live performances as Hong Kong officials have assured that bars, karaokes and nightclubs could reopen by next week if the infection rate remains at a low level.

Manuela D. Lo, chairman of the Hong Kong Musicians Union, says she hopes the reopening of bars could again lead to live shows being allowed to resume.

“Like before, they opened the bars first, then the live music,” Lo says.

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The head of one of Hong Kong's oldest unions has kept up an appeal for help, particularly for her 100 or so members who have been jobless for months because of the ban on live shows.

Lo estimates that about 1,000 musicians have either lost their jobs or have resorted to doing unrelated work to survive since the pandemic swept across the city early this year.

Including the forced closures from protest-related violence late last year, she says most musicians have been without income for about six months.

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Among those she has called upon for help is lawmaker Tommy Cheung, who represents the catering sector in the Legislative Council.

During a meeting with Cheung on Wednesday last week, the HKMU led by Lo proposed new social distancing measures that the legislator could present to government health officials to convince them to allow live shows.

These include barring musicians from interacting with customers during their performances, for everyone to wear face masks while on stage, and to use protective shields between the performers and the audience.

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Cheung said he had already forwarded their request to the relevant authorities, but it might help if they could appeal directly to the decision-makers. He suggested a meeting between the musicians and a top policy maker as soon as possible.

Live performances were first halted in early April, following an outbreak among about 50 musicians, food servers and customers of four bars in Central, Wanchai and Tsim Sha Tsui.

They reopened on Jun 18, only to close again after about a month when the third wave of infections swept across Hong Kong.

Cheung has promised to arrange a meeting between HKMU and govt decision-makers

In a separate interview earlier today, Sept 12, Cheung urged the government to reopen bars, karaokes and nightclubs as soon as possible, saying the industry is happy to implement new measures needed for their businesses to reopen safely.

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His call follows a statement made by Health and Food Secretary Sophia Chan last week that pubs, karaoke bars and nightclubs could reopen next if the Covid-19 situation in Hong Kong remains under control.

Starting last Friday, various business establishments previously shut like gyms, beauty and massage parlors were allowed to reopen, and the gathering restrictions relaxed further to allow up to four people to eat and gather together in public.

Cheung has proposed that his sector could take various anti-epidemic measures such as sterilising utensils with boiling water, using e-money and limiting customer stays in the restaurant to no more than two hours, but has yet to get a definite response.

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"We met with the Chief Secretary and a whole bunch of government officials from the FEHD and all that and make our proposals. So far we have no received any word – positive or negative – about our proposals," Cheung said in a radio interview.

Earlier, the chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, Allan Zeman, also called on the government to make good on its promise to reopen bars from Sept 18.

"The traditional bars, just for drinking, they're having major problems, many of them are on life support, I don't know how much longer they can hang on,” said Zeman in a separate interview with RTHK.

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Musicians back in business, as gathering limit raised to 50 people

By Daisy CL Mandap

HK musicians hope popular night spots like Lan Kwai Fong will come alive again - soon

In a further sign that the coronavirus threat in Hong Kong has eased, health authorities announced today, Jun 16, that the gathering ban will be relaxed further, allowing up to 50 people to get together in public starting Friday, Jun 19.

Further, restaurants may now all operate at full capacity, and pubs and nightclubs may now offer live shows and singing, although performers must wear masks and keep a distance from patrons.

This latest piece of information has buoyed the spirits of Manuela D. Lo, chairperson of the Hong Kong Musicians Union, whose 120-plus members have all lost their jobs as a result of the ban on live performances, imposed since late Apr 3.

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“I am so thankful for this. Although I am not expecting instant relief, I hope that in due time, we can all go back work,” Lo said.

She has been at pains to offer help, not just to HKMU members, but also to musicians on temporary work visas, many of whom were affected when Covid-19 swept across four bars where they worked.

Of these musicians, 24 tested positive for coronavirus, and were hospitalized for weeks. A further 49 were put under quarantine. All of them were eventually sidelined when the bars they worked at were shut, and live performances were banned.

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But at least, their employers are still providing them rent-free accommodation, said Lo.

Musicians who are permanent residents are worse hit because they have to pay rent and provide for family members despite losing their jobs, she added.

Apart from helping the stricken musicians get whatever financial relief was available from both the Philippine and Hong Kong governments, HKMU has also done its own lobbying to revive the entertainment industry.

 

Lo says musicians hope they can all go back to work in due time

Last week, Lo said she and her fellow HKMU officers met with Legislative Councilor Tommy Cheung who represents the catering industry, to appeal for help in getting live performances back in pubs and other public venues.

Lo said they were relieved when Cheung assured them of his help.

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By this time, the outlook had gotten really grim for most, if not all, musicians in Hong Kong, she said.

Most hotels, including the big ones like the Peninsula and Hyatt Regency in Tsim Sha Tsui, Grand Hyatt in Wanchai and the Marriott in Admiralty, had stopped live entertainment, leading to massive job cuts that affected even to the most seasoned musicians.

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Another fallout came just last week, said Lo, when BB Jazz, which is located in the same building as the Covid-infected Insomnia bar, decided to lay off all its staff after holding off closure for nearly three months.

“Hopefully the resumption of live performances will convince the owner to reopen the club,” said Lo.

In due time, she also hopes the entertainment scene which Hong Kong used to be famous for, will come alive again.

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In a further sign of normalcy, Disneyland is set to reopen after nearly five months, following Ocean Park’s example last weekend.

Hong Kong Book Fair, which has traditionally attracted thousands of visitors, will also open as scheduled on Jul 15.

Meanwhile, no new case of Covid-19 was reported today, keeping the total tally at 1,113. Yesterday, three imported cases were reported, involving residents who flew in from Russia and Indonesia.

Two of the patients, aged 10 and 47, were asymptomatic while the third, a 32-year-old woman who flew in from Indonesia, had fever, cough and no sense of smell.

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