(Dan Tri) – The outbreak of the pandemic has caused unemployment rates in Hong Kong, China and around the world to escalate, pushing everyone to make fundamental changes in life for the post-Covid-19 era.
Like the general picture of the world, the aviation industry in Hong Kong has been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic (Photo: NYT).
Before becoming a funeral director, Wong was a flight attendant for an airline in Hong Kong.
However, fates like Wong’s are not rare.
Hong Kong’s economy began to deteriorate in 2019 after months of protests sparked by controversy surrounding the extradition bill.
Many businesses were forced to close, many people left the city and some of those who stayed had to `reinvent` themselves.
When Cathay Dragon, a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s flagship airline Cathay Pacific, closed in 2020, Wong was among thousands of unemployed.
`Some people lost relatives. Some have moved away. Others have had their health compromised, and not just their physical health, but their mental health as well,` she said.
Not easy to adapt
Wong’s new job is at `Forget Thee Not`, a Hong Kong non-profit organization that organizes affordable funerals for disadvantaged families.
In the same way he once sought to appease passengers facing flight delays, Wong is now looking for alternatives for those with much greater needs.
But adjusting work is not easy.
She had trouble eating because of stress, and her hair began to fall out.
Wong returned to the job in April, when Hong Kong was facing its worst Covid-19 outbreak.
There are days when Wong longs to fly again.
`The impact of Covid-19 has pushed us to face reality,` Wong said.
`Now I’m a beginner again`
People wear masks carefully on the train in Hong Kong in March 2022 (Photo: AFP).
Although the pandemic has affected the aviation industry, Cheung, 35, a security guard at an aircraft engineering company, has not been affected.
However, he still decided to quit his job in March to work as a cleaner at an isolation facility for Covid-19 patients.
At the peak of this year’s Covid-19 outbreak, Hong Kong’s hospitals and quarantine centers faced an overload of patients.
Mr. Cheung was not allowed to drink water or use the bathroom while wearing protective equipment.
But due to lack of resources and uneven labor distribution, Wong always worked under stress and considered only working for a few months.
Cheung continues to take on more jobs.
Cheung had planned to work at the quarantine center for five months, but it closed in June due to the dwindling number of `VIP visitors`.
As director of in-flight services for Cathay Dragon, 57-year-old Connie has reached the highest level of her career.
When the airline closed in 2020, she stayed home to take care of her young nephew and family.
`Now I’m a beginner again,` Connie said.
In May, Cathay Pacific sent recruitment emails to thousands of laid-off employees, asking them to reapply – for entry-level positions.
But Ms. Connie is not interested in returning to her job at the airline and said she will work as a babysitter for the next 10 years: `I have found my new direction in life.`