Teachers who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 could be required to undergo regular mandatory testing, Hong Kong’s education minister has revealed, while the city confirmed one imported coronavirus
case on Saturday.

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said the government would conduct a survey later this month to find out the vaccination status in schools before deciding what should be done in September when classes resume after the summer holiday.

One step being looked at is requiring unvaccinated teachers to get tested regularly, a measure already in place for workers at care homes, restaurants and construction sites.

“We are considering whether we can require all teachers and staff who can’t be vaccinated … to be tested regularly to allow more school activities to be done,” Yeung told a radio programme, noting officials were looking into whether to make the arrangement compulsory.

“If around 70 to 80 per cent of students in a school have been vaccinated, they are prepared for more learning activities. If several teachers cannot be inoculated for various reasons … are they obliged to undergo regular testing so those activities can proceed?”

Education chief Kevin Yeung.

Yeung said the Education Bureau would approach schools in mid- or late July to find out vaccination rates among teachers and pupils.

He said he believed about 30 to 40 per cent of teachers were vaccinated. And according to the government, 14 per cent of pupils aged between 12 and 15 had received at least one dose or booked a vaccination appointment.

Medical experts previously said that if around 70 to 80 per cent of people in a school had been vaccinated, full-day face-to-face classes could resume. Those vaccinated could also be exempted from wearing masks in school.

Yau Siu-hung, principal of the Yan Chai Hospital Wong Wha San Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O, said he did not object to the mandatory screening proposal.

“Now we hope more pupils will be vaccinated. If we ask pupils to be vaccinated ... and teachers do corresponding measures, I think it is acceptable,” Yau said.

Fung Wai-wah, president of the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union, however, did not support the proposal.

“The prerequisites of full-class resumption should not be based on mandatory testing or vaccination,” Fung said. “Mandatory testing is not that helpful, as it does not guarantee one is disease-free.”

He also said vaccination should be voluntary. “Requiring teachers to undergo mandatory testing if they are not vaccinated is indirectly forcing them to get jabs,” Fung said.

Schools, including kindergartens, can currently only conduct face-to-face classes for half a day.

Secondary schools could achieve a higher vaccination rate among pupils and teachers after local health authorities last month lowered the age for receiving the German-made BioNTech vaccine from 16 to 12.

Yeung noted that primary schools would have to stick with half-day classes unless the inoculation age for Covid-19 vaccines
could be further lowered.

Hong Kong confirmed just one Covid-19 case on Saturday, involving a 39-year-old man who arrived from South Korea. Fewer than five people tested preliminary-positive.

The city’s tally of confirmed cases now stands at 11,939, with 211 related deaths.

Vaccinations reached a new daily high on Friday, with more than 69,000 shots administered. The launch of Covid-19 vaccination outreach services at schools could have given the jabs drive a boost. Health care personnel provided on-site inoculations to pupils and teachers from seven schools at two locations on Friday.