Pandemic keeps Hong Kong equality watchdog ‘surprisingly busy’ with complaints of racism, discrimination against elderly and much more
- More than 1,500 enquiries, 255 complaints relating to pandemic poured in over past two years
- Elderly Hongkongers have found it a struggle to keep up with technology, ‘Leave Home Safe’ app
Several issues kept turning up over the past two years, from residents who did not want pandemic clinics near their homes, to racism towards ethnic minority food deliverers, and elderly Hongkongers struggling to cope with the roll-out of the “Leave Home Safe” risk-exposure mobile app.
“Really, back in January last year, we didn’t think the EOC would feature that much in the pandemic scenario,” Chu said in an interview with the Post.
The body received more than 1,500 inquiries and 255 complaints relating to the pandemic over the past two years.
Soon after the coronavirus hit in February last year, residents were unhappy when the government designated some clinics to deal with the contagion that was not yet fully understood.
Some protested against having the clinics near their homes, in what the commission said reflected their “Nimby” – “not-in-my-backyard” – attitude.
“We talked about it. We issued a public statement asking people not to think that way,” Chu recalled.
Then it had to deal with discrimination against health care workers who could not book hotel rooms. Some did not want to return home, to avoid accidentally taking the virus to their families.
