Repatriation of the body of a 44-year-old Filipino migrant domestic worker, Jergrace Tabiano Anacleto, who allegedly died due to delayed vaccination due to a flight from Hong Kong to the Philippines that will only open later this month, Friday (14/5/2021).
Quoted from HK01, a 44-year-old Filipino migrant domestic worker who was vaccinated with the Fubitai vaccine on April 21, 18 days later fell unconscious at her employer’s house in Sai Kung and died after being taken to Tseung Kwan O Hospital on Sunday (9/5). ). The domestic worker was the first migrant domestic worker to die after being injected with the vaccine.
Zhang Jiemin, chairman of the Hong Kong Employment Agencies Association, said that when employers hire Filipino domestic workers, they have purchased insurance for them in Hong Kong and the Philippines. The insurance policy will cover the cost of transporting the body, and the procedure will also be handled by the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong. Local insurance will also provide compensation for the family of the deceased.
Zhang Jiemin further said that the time needed to transport the bodies back to the local area has indeed become longer during the epidemic because in addition to the bodies needing to be dissected or examined, Hong Kong is currently still banning flights from the Philippines to Hong Kong and vice versa flights from Hong Kong to Hong Kong. The Philippines has also decreased drastically.
According to Zhang Jiemin’s understanding, the consulate has been working with a well-known funeral home for many years who generally choose Cathay Pacific flights. Cathay Pacific’s new flight to Manila will depart no later than May 29, so the bodies will be temporarily stranded in Hong Kong like dozens of other bodies.
The Ministry of Health stated that the initial autopsy results of the migrant domestic worker revealed that the cause of death was a ruptured aortic aneurysm. There is no clinical evidence that these events are caused by the vaccine.
Respiratory specialist Liang Zichao said that the deceased’s aortic aneurysm took a long time to form. Liang said, “I believe it was the victim’s own fault, because it didn’t happen in a short period of time.”
Zhang and Liang said related cases would affect migrant domestic workers’ confidence in getting vaccine shots. But since migrant domestic workers who are already living in Hong Kong, like other Hong Kong citizens, must be vaccinated, they are asking the government to strengthen education and publicity about vaccines.
When contacted by HK01, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has received a report about the death of a migrant domestic worker from the Philippines after being injected with the vaccine, but the Philippine Consul General has not yet responded.
Meanwhile the Hong Kong Government has previously considered requiring migrant domestic workers to be vaccinated when they come to Hong Kong or renew their employment contracts. However, following a series of protests, Chief Executive Carrie Lam publicly announced she would drop the proposal.
