HSBC asks all of its HK staff to get vaccinated

Bloomberg

HSBC Holdings Plc asked all of its Hong Kong staff to get vaccinated against the Covid virus after city authorities issued a new circular to push for higher inoculation rates.
Colleagues who have not received a first dose should either get inoculated by November 30 or submit to a Covid-19 test every 14 days, the London-based bank, which counts Hong Kong as its largest market, said in a memo to staff.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and four other regulator issued circulars to financial institutions last week to urge all of their staff to get vaccinated or submit to testing, expanding on a June request that employees in client facing roles or support functions get inoculated. The HKMA said 80% of designated staff at authorised institutions now have at least one dose, but there’s a need for further action to minimise operational risk and protect staff and customers.
Hong Kong has struggled to get its population vaccinated, lagging behind rival financial centers such as Singapore, London and New York. The city’s zero-Covid policy has been successful in keeping local cases at bay, and most businesses have been back to close to full capacity over the past months. HSBC opened its offices fully in June.
The city is also seeking to open its border to mainland China to foster cross-border business and promote the
return of Chinese tourists.
In Singapore, which has abandoned its zero Covid strategy, city officials plan to restrict access to the workplace for those who are unvaccinated from January unless they test negative daily as part of plans to resume normal activities.