A few days ago, two Cathay Pacific freighter pilots who were exempt from hotel quarantine were diagnosed after returning home for three days and staying in the community. Some people in the medical profession demanded that all crew members be quarantined in hotels.
The Transport and Housing Bureau announced today (12th) replenishment arrangements, requiring crew members returning to Hong Kong to be tested once a day. All local crew members must be vaccinated with a third dose of the new crown vaccine. Resident supervisors will be added to supervise freighter pilots.
However, the implementation date was not mentioned, and the hotel quarantine exemption arrangements were not cancelled.
Cathay Pacific said that it has launched an internal investigation; it will immediately strengthen the inspection of the outstations to determine that all crew members must self-isolate in designated hotel rooms when staying outside. At the same time, all qualified crew members will be required to receive a third dose of vaccine. And actively advise all other employees to get the third dose of vaccine as soon as possible.
The closed-loop operation management pilot instructs Cathay Pacific to investigate and submit a report
The Transport and Housing Bureau stated that cargo planes do not carry passengers, and there is no potential risk caused by contact with passengers. Under closed-loop operation, cargo plane crews will not have direct contact with local communities during their stay at the outer station, and need to The hotel rooms arranged by airlines are self-isolated and take point-to-point transportation to and from the hotel and the airport.
When they arrive in Hong Kong, they must be tested at the Hong Kong Airport. Depending on factors such as the station they are staying at and the status of their duties on the plane, they will be subject to self-isolation or medical supervision. During this period, they must also be tested regularly for continuous monitoring. Health status.
The Transportation and Housing Bureau stated that it had met with Cathay Pacific in the two cases and ordered Cathay Pacific to expedite the investigation, submit reports and follow up.
Cathay Pacific said that it often reminds crew members that they must strictly abide by relevant anti-epidemic measures, whether in Hong Kong or overseas, and is currently conducting internal investigations into these cases. Company procedures to take appropriate measures and actions.
The Transport and Housing Bureau stated that in order to deal with the latest epidemic and the risk of mutant virus strains, it has reviewed and studied and improved relevant arrangements in all feasible directions, and requested airlines to take the following measures as soon as possible, including:
1. After the local cargo plane crew returned to the port, the inspection frequency was shortened to one inspection per day
2. All local crew members must be vaccinated with the third shot
3. Add resident supervisors for cargo aircraft crews to stay outside stations, and strengthen independent audit work to ensure that crews meet the requirements of closed-loop operation to reduce their risk of infection
4. To impose stricter restrictions on the activities of local cargo aircraft crews during the medical surveillance period, specify clearer guidelines, and strengthen supervision to avoid contact with the community as much as possible
Cathay Pacific: immediate strengthening of outstation inspections will require the crew to take a third shot
Cathay Pacific stated that it will immediately strengthen inspections at outstations to ensure that crew members strictly abide by Cathay Pacific’s health and safety regulations when staying at outstations, and work closely with the Transportation and Housing Bureau and health authorities to strengthen the protection of Hong Kong’s public health.
The spokesman said that further guidelines will be issued to require crew members to undergo medical surveillance activities after returning to Hong Kong; the crew will also be arranged for daily virulence testing. The details of the guidelines will be announced later.
Cathay Pacific continued to point out that all flights will be performed by fully vaccinated crew members.
All crew members must self-isolate in designated hotel rooms when staying outside Hong Kong, and must undergo frequent mandatory testing. Since the beginning of this year, they have undergone more than 170,000 virus tests in Hong Kong. All qualified crew members will be required to be vaccinated The third dose of vaccine, and actively advise all other employees to get the third dose of vaccine as soon as possible.
▼November 9th Tsim Sha Tsui Kaiyu Sealed Area Inspection▼
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The authorities emphasized that even under the epidemic, society’s demand for air cargo services is still very strong. Air cargo services are vital to the transportation of daily necessities, personal protective equipment, medicines and vaccines into Hong Kong. Hong Kong continues to play a role in the epidemic. The international air transport hub connects markets and supply chains in the Mainland and around the world. Hong Kong Airport will handle 4.5 million metric tons of cargo in 2020, with a total value of 3.5 trillion yuan, accounting for about 43% of Hong Kong’s total foreign trade value.
The government mentioned the need to ensure that necessary air cargo services to and from Hong Kong are not affected, so that the local economy and the global supply chain can operate normally.
Coronavirus disease.
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