Extract:

"Our members globally, in particular the healthcare workers, are on the front line of global response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, which has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHIEC). They thus face the occupational hazard of exposure to the 2019-nCoV. In line with international labour standards of the International Labour Organization (i.e., C155, R194, C187, R197 and C161, R171, P155), employers are duty-bound to safeguard the occupational health and safety of workers.

In Hong Kong, healthcare workers organised as the Hong Kong Health Employees Alliance (HKHEA) have reluctantly chosen to take industrial action after having determined the gravity and seriousness of the occupational health and safety risks, and the consequences of inaction.

Given the proximity of Hong Kong to mainland China, where the epidemic started, and the fact that Hong Kong was accepting arrivals from mainland China as recently as the 5th of February, the occupational health and safety standards applied need to be amongst the highest standards globally."

See the full letter: