Coronavirus: Covid sufferers head for exits as Hong Kong ends obligatory isolation, however shuttle bus drivers fear about an infection dangers

“[On Sunday], my spouse instructed me on the telephone that it’s okay to return residence, so I made a decision to depart the centre,” mentioned Lo, who was solely carrying an N95 masks for cover.

Requested whether or not he would self-quarantine, Lo mentioned he wouldn’t impose “very robust measures” since his signs had been gentle and with “no ache in his physique”.

“However I can’t go to eating places except I flip adverse,” Lo added. “I’ll purchase takeaway nowadays in case I trigger transmissions.”

Transport employee Galen Chan, who turned adverse on Monday, was additionally on the drop-off level. Below the brand new guidelines he was free to depart the camp, reasonably than having to supply adverse outcomes for 2 days in a row.

However the 29-year-old mentioned he wouldn’t return residence as a result of the one motive he selected to remain within the quarantine centre was to guard his household.

“I’ve already booked a lodge for a number of days till I’m totally recovered,” Chan mentioned, including the brand new coverage wouldn’t have an effect on these within the camp a lot as “only a few individuals” had been there now.

“I believe it’s an excellent factor for Hong Kong that our society is slowly opening up,” Chan mentioned.

Derek Tsoi, a 43-year-old father who went into the isolation camp on Thursday to handle his contaminated daughter, selected to remain there regardless of the brand new coverage.

His daughter, who spent her tenth birthday within the camp on Saturday, nonetheless examined constructive on Monday morning.

“There’s an aged particular person at my residence and I’m apprehensive they’ll get contaminated, and so we select to remain,” mentioned Tsoi, who has been adverse up to now.

He mentioned he had not seen any change in guidelines on the camp, and noticed nobody stepping out of their rooms. Workers had been additionally in full safety gear when handing out gadgets.

Tsoi mentioned he was instructed by camp employees they might solely keep there for seven days, which means they must depart on Wednesday even when his daughter was nonetheless contaminated.

However not everybody was glad with the brand new preparations, together with shuttle bus drivers who had been apprehensive about transmission dangers whereas ferrying sufferers to the drop-off level.

“[The authorities are] disrespecting us. They allow us to go straight to select up [the passengers] with out giving us any further safety and I can’t settle for this,” a shuttle bus driver named Andy Wong instructed the Submit with intense feelings.

Wong mentioned safety similar to hazmat fits, masks and plastic curtains was not given to the drivers and the isolation centre simply requested them to maintain doing their job.

In line with the Submit’s observations, just one driver in six of the shuttle buses wore a hazmat swimsuit, and many of the automobiles didn’t have further safety. Each adverse and constructive circumstances took buses collectively, underneath the brand new coverage.

“Beforehand, the buses taking constructive and adverse sufferers had been separate, and the ‘constructive buses’ have safety, however now we’re transporting constructive sufferers, with none measures,” Wong added.

“All I can do is ask the passengers whether or not they’re adverse, however they don’t want to supply any proof now, so how ought to I do know what they mentioned is true?”

The Submit has contacted the isolation centre for remark.

Authorities will use the Penny’s Bay camp and Novotel Citygate lodge in Tung Chung for isolation till the tip of subsequent month, however stays are capped at seven days.

The federal government dropped all social-distancing measures on December 29 and quarantine-free journey with mainland China resumed on January 8, which leaves solely two main measures in place – the masks mandate and obligatory testing for arrivals, college students and care residence residents.

In saying the tip to the five-day isolation requirement greater than per week in the past, the federal government mentioned the coronavirus could be handled as an everyday higher respiratory tract an infection.

Further reporting by Elizabeth Cheung