Hong Kong’s largest lender will reportedly require staff to be vaccinated or submit bimonthly tests after regulators asked financial institutions to «proactively encourage» workers from the sector to take the jab.
HSBC has asked its 30,000 staff in the city to take their first dose of vaccine by November 30 or submit a Covid-19 test every two weeks, according to local media reports which cited an internal memo.
HSBC has previously been the subject of coronavirus-linked shutdowns after temporarily closing its headquarters when three employees were tested positive in March this year.
Government Push
Last week, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission and other watchdogs asked the financial sector through issued circulars to encourage staff to be vaccinated by the end of this month or face bi-weekly testing.
The city’s top officials announced a continued focus on maintaining its zero-Covid policy while prioritizing border opening with mainland China.
Currently, around 69 percent of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million residents have received their first dose of vaccine.
