🌊 Hong Kong is out for blood
🌊 Hong Kong is out for blood
Bookings open for boosters next week.
Good morning.
In Tide today I’m proud to present one of my own spur of the moment memes. Cyril isn’t the only clever one around here!
On Today’s Tide
Health | Hong Kong in dire need of blood donors.
COVID-19 | New unemployment subsidy coming. Also:
Book your booster
Omicron deaths reach 5,000
And more
Events | Hong Kong Arts Festival is still ongoing!
Behind the paywall:
Crime | 38 fraudsters steal millions from anti-epidemic government scheme. Also:
More arrests tied to the child abuse care home case.
Victim of violent assault at shopping mall dies.
Transport | Kwun Tong line goes back to normal.
Property | This lot is up for public tender.
Appointments | New appointment at the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority.
Hong Kong needs your blood!
Health
The Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service is asking for residents to donate blood since local donations have been drying up due to the COVID-19 situation in the city, with blood banks not even meeting half of the targets lately. Medical facilities are particularly in urgent need of blood supply for use in the emergency department, urgent procedures, and other time sensitive reasons. Blood banks are prioritising people who are blood type A, but are also accepting O, AB, and B types. Donors can make appointments online, on the service’s app, or by calling a donor centre or the service hotline.
If you’re willing and able, please donate your blood! You’d be doing a great thing during a time when donations are especially needed.
Unemployment subsidy opens to applications next week
COVID-19
People who have been unemployed or suspended from work for 30 consecutive days are eligible for an unemployment subsidy of HK$10,000. Applications (which you can find here) for this Temporary Unemployment Relief scheme can be submitted starting on the coming Wednesday. The submission period for applications ends in three weeks at 11:59 PM 12 April.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam also announced that a new round of the employment support scheme will give HK$24,000 ($8,000 a month) to eligible employees between May and July.
COVID-19 in Hong Kong
New cases: 20,082 (7,966 PCR tests, 12,116 RATs)
Deaths: 206
Lockdown updates:
946 COVID-19 cases were found after overnight lockdowns in Tuen Mun, Wong Tai Sin, Sha Tin, Aberdeen and Sham Shui Po (see here for the building names).
The Omicron variant has taken over 5,000 lives in Hong Kong thus far, with most victims involving care home residents. COVID-19 cases have surpassed the 1 million mark during the most recent wave. Read this SCMP article for an inside look at how staff shortages have lead to many elderly patients who have been left in a “living hell”, unable to shower while isolating in the AsiaWorld-Expo facility.
Appointments for booster shots are opening up to adult residents on Monday (21 March) at 8 AM; just make sure you’ve had your second vaccination at least three months ago. People can choose between the BioNTech and Sinovac shots when making their appointments. Fourth jabs will be available for immunocompromised people who got their booster at least three months ago.
Over 300 coffins were delivered to Hong Kong yesterday from the mainland to assist with the coffin shortage in the city.
All eligible elderly care home residents have gotten at least their first COVID-19 vaccination.
Events and deals
Support Harbour Times, our friends and partners by attending these events! Let everyone know who sent you by tagging @harbourtimes.
10% off the Cellar: La Cabane x Harbour Times
Our friends over at La Cabane have kindly given all High Tide subscribers 10% off everything on their online store - high-quality wines, cheeses and wines-and-cheeses accessories.
Use the code HIGHONWINE10 at www.lacabane.hk to stock up your wine cellar today.
Hong Kong Arts Festival
Watch live-streamed operas and concerts, and even some one-on-one interactive live theatre! Make sure to register in advance – each show has its own attendance policy.
Supporting Ukraine from the comfort of your couch
This isn’t really an event per se, but we thought our very internationally-minded audience might be wondering how to get involved with humanitarian efforts. Luckily, you can literally do it by drinking beer, eating good Ukrainian food and calling our good friends at the Polish Consulate General.
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